Come What May
by Makkoska
Summary: Jojo looks for Dio's remnants after their battle in Windknight's Lot and finds that his nemesis is still not destroyed. Instead of fighting him again, he accepts their fate to lead where it so wants to take them. A JonaDio fic.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary** : Jojo looks for Dio's remnants after their battle in Windknight's Lot and finds that his nemesis is still not destroyed. Instead of fighting him again, he accepts their fate to lead where it so wants to take them.

 **** **Notes:** **This will be part 1 of a longer story arc where I attempt to give Jonathan and Dio something like a happy life together.**

1 */*/*

"Are you sure about this, Mr. Joestar?"

Speedwagon stares at the check-marked chimney hat that he keeps rolling around in his hands - a memento from the late Zeppeli and of all things they have gone through - because he is sure he'll break down in tears if he looks up at Jonathan. He thought… he was sure that as evil has finally been defeated, they will live the happy life they deserve. And Jonathan deserves it more than anyone else.

So maybe Speedwagon is a simple man, but for once happiness seems straightforward enough to achieve. For himself he has a single wish, to stay near his dear friend, offer him help and support, to make himself useful for him because he never managed to be that during the battle against evil. For Jonathan, he wishes love; marriage and family with Miss Pendleton. He wanted to help him rebuild his family mansion, so that it can be filled by life and laughter, washing away the horrors of death, blood, fire and monsters.

Although Speedwagon has never known his own parents or had any first-hand experience on how a loving family worked, he is still sure Jonathan would make an excellent husband and father. Strong, loving, reliable, modest. Surely Miss Pendleton would have been overjoyed to have him propose. She so obviously loves him - just thinking back on how happy she was to see him again, how she radiated affection as she was smiling up at him, the devotion she showed in treating his wounds when he was injured, fills Speedwagon's stomach with funny butterflies. They would have been the most beautiful couple on their wedding. Speedwagon would have stood next to Jonathan, as a best man, as his best friend, satisfied to be in his presence, filled with the knowledge that this powerful young man saved the world, defeated evil, and shown him that such scum as he used to be, can still become someone better.

"I'm sure, Speedwagon," he's dragged out from his how-it-should-be thoughts by Jonathan. "I'm sorry that I can't explain the whys to you, but I have to do this."

He nods miserably, as there's nothing else he can do. Jojo isn't staying in town, isn't getting married and isn't looking happy at all. He still has that determined aura about him, his expression focused and almost painful, the same look that he wore on their hunt for Dio after Zeppeli was slaughtered by his dark creation.

He had killed the monster, Speedwagon had seen it with his own eyes - yet for some reason it still isn't finished for him. There is no explanation, no fathomable reason - there are only Jonathan's solemn, even words, telling him matter of factly that he can't stay, can't be happy and carefree, but not sharing the reasons why.

"I'll need to go away for a while," he told him a few days ago. He seemed so troubled ever since they've returned from Windknight's Lot, but that was understandable given all that happened. He assumed the Joestar just needed time to be able to get over the dark horrors he has lived through, to get rid of nightmares haunting nights and dark memories troubling days. But when he sought Speedwagon out that evening, he looked calm, as if he only needed to make this inexplicable decision to find his inner peace. "I have a business only I can finish - until that's done, I can't involve anyone in my life. Least of all Erina."

"But where are you going?" he asked, desperately. "When will you be back?"

"I'm not really sure of it yet," Jonathan squeezed his shoulder, looking into his eyes. "But there's nothing you need to be cornered about, trust me."

"Don't say that, Mr. Joestar," he argued, trying not to feel powerless beneath that heavy hand. "Your burden is my burden. Surely, I can help, if you confide in me."

"I really appreciate that," his smile was honest, but his dark blue eyes remained sad. "However, there are some things I need to deal with on my own."

No matter how he pleaded, Jonathan didn't share any details with him and was unmovable in his decision to leave. So Speedwagon is here now, accompanying him to the outskirts of the town, saying his goodbyes, sadness and foreboding twisting his guts. Something is not right. Something is not right at all. He hates to feel this powerless _again._

His friend, this man who showed him the light, who proved that one can be invincibly strong, yet maintaining kindness in his heart, who not just saved him, but changed his whole life as well, is leaving. He is feeling so weak and worthless, standing here, holding onto Zeppeli's hat as if that is the only thing keeping him on his feet, while Jonathan bids his farewell.

He doesn't take many things with him. A pack and a heavy looking chest, wrapped in a thick, black material. It looks too large and too angular to be carried around comfortably on horseback, and just looking at it makes Speedwagon uneasy. He can't bring himself to ask what is in it. Quite probably Jonathan wouldn't answer anyway.

So, he just watches warily as Jojo delicately picks it up and straps it on his back with great care. Speedwagon feels like screaming at him to put it down, thrown it away, burn it to ashes, because whatever he hides there, he's sure it's evil, can practically _smell it,_ and he knows it's going to cause the Joestar harm, it already made him give up on his happily ever after.

"Mr. Joestar…" he tries to reason one last time, but he can see on the other's determined face that he made his choice already. Feeling terribly powerless, he just says instead, "Please take care of yourself. And write, so we can know you are all right."

"I will," he promises, smiling. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything! If there's anything I can do…"

"Can you look after Erina, please? I said my goodbyes to her, and it's not my business what she does with her life - but it would be good to know she is safe and…" his voice trails off, and for the first time he looks to regret his decision to leave. Speedwagon puts his hand on his arm in what he hopes is a reassuring manner. He wants to tell him to stay for her, that she needs him - as _he_ needs him too, tell him that it could, that it _should_ be his business what she does with her life, but manages just to nod.

"I'll make sure she never lacks anything," he promises and is rewarded with a smile.

Jonathan mounts his horse and waves his final goodbye. Speedwagon stays on the road, staring after him as his back becomes a tiny dot, then disappears behind trees, before he finally finds the strength to walk back to town.

Miss Pendleton waits for him, sitting on a bench not far from his flat, looking as alien to the shady neighbourhood in her clean, proper clothes, with her carefully braided her and porcelain, unblemished skin as Speedwagon felt that time he accompanied Jonathan to the Joestar manor. Her eyes are a bit puffy and red, but she is no longer crying. Speedwagon manages a strained smile, feeling awkward in her presence, just as he always is around ladies, not that he ever spent any quality time around _real_ ladies. He welcomes her in, and she stands in the middle of this tiny, dark flat he's renting like an angel descended from heaven straight into the gutter, bright and immaculate, untouchable by dirt. It is unseemly of her to visit him without any chaperone of course, but she doesn't seem to care about that. Despite her delicate frame, she must be a tough woman. Didn't Jonathan tell him that she lived and worked alongside her doctor father in India as a nurse?

"He will be all right," he attempts to be reassuring, even though he's upset himself. "I don't know anyone as strong as him."

"Thank you, Mr. Speedwagon," she smiles at him. "You are such a good friend of his. I know he can take care of himself - it's just that I'll miss him. I just met him, and I'm losing him again, and I don't even understand why."

"Ah…" he's at loss for words but she doesn't appear to be waiting for an explanation from him. It's so sad - she and Jonathan should be together. He's never seen a man and woman so perfect for each other. But he knows the reasons no more than she does. "Neither do I," he confesses, fiddling with the hat in his hands again. "Mr. Joestar is a man whose destiny is probably incomprehensible for someone like me. But I want you to know Miss Pendleton, that I promised him - and even if I didn't promise I still would - that is, to do anything for your comfort. So, if you need anything, or if I can help with anything…

"Thank you, Mr. Speedwagon," she smiles at him, and his heart skips a beat. "That is most kind of you. Maybe you could tell me about your journey together, to help me gain some sense of his disappearance."

He nods hesitantly, unsure if he should share the horrors they have encountered during their chase after Dio. Would she even believe those tales? Even for him, with every day they become rather a nightmare where the details become foggy with time, than actual events that happened with him. But does he have the right to keep it from her?

Because he can't shake the feeling that Jonathan leaving is still part of that dark journey. If he has any suspicion, why he decided to part ways so abruptly- and he has - it is unreasonable and improbable. Though Speedwagon has known Dio to be evil ever since he cast his eyes on him, could practically _smell_ it on him, although he caused all the grief in Jonathan's life, ever since their childhood as he learned, he was now gone for good. He saw the Joestar rip him up, melt him with his Hamon, he saw his remnants, turning into ash as the Ripple energy consumed him, falling into the abyss from the tower. They were rid of the devil. They saved the world from him. So, this _feeling_ that the vampire still has control over his friend's life, that he has to be the reason of his departure needs to be wrong, simply the product of his worrying mind for such a good man that Jonathan is. Surely there is a simple reason behind it that has nothing to do with darkness, bonds and tears for the defeated demon. The world can't be so cruel to keep his friend, who's a creature of the light, captured in Dio's dark nightmare.

2 */*/*

Although it is already dark outside by the time Jojo books a room at an inn, he makes sure to carefully pull the curtains close, to block out light and any curious eyes that may peer in. He puts his burden down on the table and stares at it for a long-long time. It's harmless looking enough. An unmoving, silent package. The temptation to never open the crate, never to look inside is undeniable.

But he can't do that. With a sigh, he unfolds the dark cloth covering the massive wooden box and takes out the basket from inside. Amber eyes glare at him through straw bars, fury evident in them in the flickering light of the oil lamps.

"How are you, Dio?" he winces hearing his own voice. That really sounded inanely stupid given the situation…

Rather surprisingly in his current condition, his archenemy still manages to turn his face away. Living seven years with him, Jojo recognizes the gesture as sulking.

He sits down with a sigh and just stares at what is left of his adopted brother. A head. A very much still living head. Which is sulking. Which has been hissing at him during the ride to stop shaking him around.

He just never gives up. Surely, even in his weakened state, he is plotting against him again. Spinning creative ideas to take his vengeance on Jojo for chopping his head off, for locking him up, for carrying him around like a sack of potatoes. If the Joestar hasn't known him so well to make sure he is locked up for good, he surely would have attacked him already at his first chance.

But he knows Dio. He learned how he is the hard way. Nobody else have ever seen the Brando so clearly as he does. Not his father, praising him, not his lackeys, admiring him, not the girls on the balls who were pining after him. No, Jojo sees him without that layer of poisoned charm, sees him being selfish, wild, ruthless and cunning.

Maybe it was because he knew Dio so well, maybe it was sixth sense or fate that made him descend the tower in Windknight's Lot while Tonpetty and the others destroyed the stone mask. He told them he just needed some time alone to think. He expected to find _something_ left of Dio and he wanted to say goodbye to him in a proper manner. Bury him, talk to the grave, to try to sew the strange emptiness closed that his death left in him. But he found Dio's minion, that Wang Chan was faster than him, already looking for and finding his master's remnants. He didn't think twice about dashing after him and ending his miserable existence with his Hamon. He reached for the package the wretched creature dropped with an ominous feeling twisting his guts.

He wasn't even surprised seeing Dio's head in it. He had his eyes closed, as if he was only sleeping. He didn't look dead and Jojo was sure, despite all logic, that he indeed wasn't.

He should have finished it there and then. The nightmare has dragged on for long enough. But he had killed Dio twice already - once when their family home burnt down, once in the tower. He just didn't find it in himself to kill him for a third time. The pain of seeing him as he fell down from the spire, dissolving from inside as Ripple energy burnt through his flesh was still so vivid on his mind.

No, it didn't make any sense then, and is making even less sense now if Jojo thinks it through - Dio is not simply dangerous, he is evil incarnated, but… they have this undeniable connection, this bizarre way the threads of their fates intertwined and to rip it apart again and again and again… Jojo had just no more strength left for it, bruised and battered after their last fight. Dio was, for the moment, harmless - he was unconscious, powerless - he couldn't just destroy him completely.

He feels bad for keeping it a secret, but he had no means to explain to the others why he was doing it. Hell, he couldn't even explain it to himself.

He kept the head wrapped in a cloth for a day, afraid that it will wake up, afraid what it will do. But by nightfall he came up with a solution, imperfect as it was. He put Dio in a loosely woven basket he found in the desolated village, with large holes to see-through between the stripes. On top of it he wrapped a fine net he could fill with Hamon. Over the thing came a thick, dark material to protect it from the sun and watchful eyes.

Back in his hometown he spent all his nights staring at the head, falling asleep in his chair when exhaustion finally won. It showed no activity - Dio didn't look dead though, only unconscious. Yet, for a few days he thought that he will never wake up again. Maybe, he thought, Dio is stuck somewhere between life and death. Maybe there is nothing left for him to do, but to make him cross to the other side. To dissolve him completely in Hamon or in the rays of sun.

He almost convinced himself that he could do it. That he would be free - he could finally spend time with Erina, gather his courage to ask for her hand and, assuming she said yes, live a happy, simple life together, free from Dio.

Then one night, when he had already fallen into a light slumber, he was jarred awake from his neck-hurting position by a hiss of his name.

"Jojo…" Dio was glaring murderously at him, managing to squeeze so many emotions into those two syllables. Anger, hate, accusation, pain. Nobody but him could utter _Jojo_ as a curse so perfectly.

"Dio…" he replied, leaning forward. He had no idea what to say to him and it looked that the vampire was also content with just staring at him. What an endless night that was.

Having no idea what to do, Jojo carefully wrapped up Dio before dawn break and uncovered him at nightfall.

"Why am I here, Jojo?" Dio asked him the second night after his awakening. "What do you plan to do with me?"

Jonathan replied honestly, telling him how he found him, how he couldn't bring himself to destroy him completely and how he was now his responsibility.

Arguing with a severed head was the most absurd thing, yet he did it again and again every night after that. Dio demanded be let out from his imprisonment. Promised Jojo to take his life as soon as an opportunity arose. Hissed dark threats about taking his body, and ruling the world forever using it. Other times he flattered him, pleaded him to open his cage, to end the Hamon barrier, promised him might beyond what he could imagine, eternal youth and fabulous wealth. It didn't seem to cross his mind that Jojo could easily destroy him. Although it wouldn't have been surprising for him to lose his sanity after all that happened, Jojo had the feeling that the vampire just knew him too well.

Jonatan needed a plan. He couldn't just stay in his hometown, nor could he hope to fulfil his dream of rebuilding the Joestar mansion, to live there with Erina. He just couldn't afford to stay near his loved ones. Dio knew his weaknesses too well, and he was bound to go after Erina or Speedwagon given any opportunity. Although he has been incapacitated for the moment, he was, and forever will be, dangerous.

There was nothing else left for him to do, but to leave. He felt terrible, for not giving his friends any explanation, but that was for the best. He won't endanger them. Dio is his burden, and he isn't shying out from carrying that weight.

"Where are we, Jojo?" said burden asks, obviously having enough of sulking.

"We are travelling, Dio," he answers, repressing a yawn. Staying awake with the head at all nights has started to take its toll on him.

"Yes, I could tell that," the head sneers. "You were shaking me around whole day, it's a wonder I didn't get sick. Did you choose a crippled horse on purpose?"

"I can just cover you back, you know," he replies mildly. "You don't have to entertain me every night with your complaints."

"Hah! The least you can do is to listen to me, now that you have reduced me to this state."

"I'm listening, Dio," he gives in, feeling that going down on the road of pointless arguing is just too much for tonight.

"Hmm," the vampire hums, and there is no telling if he is put off with him not following their quarrel patterns or is actually satisfied with him giving in. "So, _where_ are we, Jojo?"

"We are on our way to London."

"London?"

"I need to do some archaeology research and I hope to find material in one of the libraries."

"A research on what exactly?"

"Ancient cultures..."

Dio raises an eyebrow at him, but he doesn't feel like elaborating. To be honest, he would be hard pressed to do so - he wants to find some information on the stone mask, its origin and maybe some reference of it being used before, but it's for lack of anything better to do than with real purpose. His reasoning with his own self if that he should do what he can to ensure nobody else becomes a creature like Dio, ever again. But really, he just doesn't want to sit awake on all nights for the rest of his life, playing who-blinks-first with Dio's decapitated head.

He doesn't really think any research can give him a solution for the current situation. He just needs some occupation, so he won't go mad with this terrible secret, with his decision on allowing Dio to live. If you can call his current existence "life" at all.

"I honestly can't tell if you're a simpleton," the head sneers at him, and for some reason that makes Jojo smile.

"I have never been as smart as you, Dio."

"But you were never as stupid as you made me believe either, were you," he now studies him with eyebrows drawn together. Jonathan waves away the ridiculous urge to apologise for being smarter than he appeared to be. "So, tell me, Jojo - what are you planning now?"

"I'm not really planning anything," he admits with a shrug. "We'll just go and… we'll see."

"Then just - let me go," he says on a low, hypnotic tone. For a moment it's easy to ignore that he's a monster, a severed head of an undead demon and Jonathan is thrown back in time. Back in their adolescence, when Dio could so masterfully convince him of _anything,_ always leaving him in doubt and feeling ashamed for feeling suspicious. But that moment passes. He stepped out of Dio's shadow for good on that fateful night when the Joestar home burnt down, when his father died from the knife that his adopted brother wanted to kill him with. He is no longer intimidated or confused by Dio.

"You know I can't do that," he replies quietly.

"Are you planning your vengeance? Don't be fooled by my current state! If you try to…"

"You don't need to be scared of me, Dio," Jojo says gently. The blonde doesn't reply immediately. There's a heartbeat of time when his expression is unguarded. Jojo by now got used to seeing only his head, can look at him unflinching through the straw bars of his prison, can look into his eyes and read his uncertainty, his fears, his perplexity. Then he closes himself up behind his usual haughty behaviour. Jojo is amazed by his ability to turn his nose up and look down on him even in his current state.

"Don't make me laugh," he sneers. "You are still only a mere human, while I've become so much more."

Not wanting to get into another argument as they have been doing most on their nights, Jojo just leans back with a sigh and tries to make himself comfortable in his chair, preparing for another long, sleepless night, watching over Dio to make sure he doesn't try anything.

3*/*/*

Dio sighs in annoyance. He shoots an angry glare at Jojo, but the man continues to ignore him. He's hardly said a word to him in two days - since Dio managed to convince him to let him out of his Hamon-strengthened cage, attacked him and was -once again- defeated by him.

In retrospect, it wasn't the best idea. Dio is in a weakened state, and Jojo proved to be capable of overpowering him even when he was at the height of his power. But he just couldn't stand it any longer, the uncertainty, the feeling of not having any control over his fate, the fear that anything can be done to him and he's powerless to defend himself. He also had enough of the continuous hunger he feels despite not having a body to feed.

It was like being thrown back into his childhood. When he was at the non-existent mercy of his father, too small to defend himself against his hurtful words and bruising blows. When he could do nothing but watch helplessly as his mother withered and died. When he was so feeble that he couldn't even keep the food he usually had to steal, from the older and stronger street urchins. He decided then; he will never let others dictate his life ever again. That he'll always be the master of his fate, that he won't be a tool for others, but rather he'll be the one to use people to gain what he wants.

And he has always kept this vow. He learned how to be in control and loved it. It has always been so easy to find weak minded people and bind them to his will. Jojo though… he was an interference. More than that - their fates seemed so closely intertwined, he couldn't be simply pushed to the side, couldn't be stepped over, threaded upon.

Without the Joestars, Dio wouldn't have been able to leave the gutter so easily when his father finally died. Without Jojo, he wouldn't have gained the power of the stone mask. But it was also Jojo who rendered him to this state, he was he one preventing him to rule over the whole world.

That was what prompted him to throw away his usual cautiousness and to take his first advantage to attack him. Because he was undeniably wary of him - maybe even afraid of him, yet irresistibly drawn to him. In fact he has never wanted anything more than to claim Jojo's body, to make it his own, to make it - make them - live forever. That's the perfect solution of weaving their threads of fates into one.

But he should have been more patient, should have listened to the calm, reasonable part of his mind telling him to wait for his chance and not for the rush of excitement that the idea of robbing Jonathan of his life caused him. Jojo was obviously expecting him to attack, even if he let himself be talked into letting Dio out. Now he's back in the damn cage, and the Joestar apparently decided to punish him with silence. He doesn't seem inclined to end Dio's existence, although he has to be aware how easily he could do it right now. So Dio is no longer afraid… rather just bored.

"Jojo...Jojo!" he breaks the silence. The other man draws his thick brows together, but he doesn't raise his glance from the book he's reading. He's started to stay awake at night, probably to watch over Dio, and sleep at daytime, maybe not even pulling the shutters closed, to make the sunshine impossible for the vampire to try to break out. If he could, Dio would throw something at his stupid head, to make him stop ignoring him. But he can't, so he just sighs, and fidgets.

"Jojo…" he tries again after a while. "Jojo, I'm bored."

The man finally turns to him with a sigh.

"What am I supposed to do with that, Dio?"

"What are you reading?"

"It's an archeology book about ancient Aztec empires."

"You and your pet projects, Jojo…" he sneers with distaste. "I would have thought you had enough of treasure hunting fairy tales by now."

Jonathan does a strange thing. He touches Dio's cage with tender fingers, sliding them down on the straw bars with a faraway expression. He, of course, doesn't touch his head inside, but it still _almost_ feels like a caress, and the sensation it's causing is still akin to a shiver, although he has no body to feel it with.

"You know," he says at long last "the stone mask came from that area. Maybe I'll be able to decipher more information on it. Understand more where and how and _why_ it was created. Maybe…" he trails off. He looks tired, so worn out as if just staying awake is taking too much out of him. It's strange to see him like this, not bursting with life, ready to stand up again and again, even if life - with Dio's active contribution - has thrown him down in the mud repedetaly.

"What happened to the mask, Jojo?"

"We destroyed it. It can cause no harm, ever again."

"Then why the research? What do you hope to find?" There's no answer - Dio suspects Jojo himself doesn't even know. "What do you plan to do with me?" he presses. "You don't want to let me out of this ridiculous prison. You apparently don't want to kill me. Just what do you want to do with me?"

"I don't know, Dio, all right?!" he buries his face in his hands. He hasn't looked so lost since they were twelve and the blond could still bully him.. "You are a danger to the world. But how could I kill you _again?_ I just want to go home, but home no longer exists, because we burnt it down! I just want…" he cuts himself off. Taking a deep breath he pulls himself together, radiating the focused determination he did on the night Dio transcended humanity or when he dealt the almost-fatal blow in the tower. "We are stuck together. I can't let you go, I'm not killing you, as you've said. I've no idea yet what we'll do… but I'll figure it out in time, I'm sure."

And they are indeed stuck together, aren't they? Dio is at Jojo's mercy and for some reason apparently not even Jonathan has an explanation for, he also thinks he is his responsibility. If the roles were reversed, Dio wouldn't show any kindness. If he didn't kill Jojo, then he would enslave him. He planned to do that, drain his blood and insert his own vampiric extract into him. He would have become one of his zombies, without a free will. That would have been most satisfying. Having a Jojo, who's only wish was to obey him, kneeling at his feet. Killing on his command. Voicing no objection whatever he wanted to do with him - and Dio had some creative ideas.

But that wish was a weakness as it prompted him to make an uncareful move. Apparently all his unwise moves centered around his desire to best Jojo.

He wonders what the Joestar wants to get out of this whole situation. If it's not to kill him, than to humiliate him maybe? Does he want to ridicule Dio, rub it in that he won in the end? Does he want to torture him, keeping him like this, without letting him feed on blood? Dio thinks he can get on for very long without - he'd need it to claim a new body, but as a head only, he probably would continue to feel the hunger but never actually starve. But Jojo can't know that. So maybe it is his cruel side showing finally.

That would make more sense than his "I don't know". Still, he knows Jonathan not to be cruel. How weird it is to trust Jojo on this. Dio doesn't appreciate or fully understand honesty. No wonder he could never really get Jonathan. It's upsetting to think that this oaf knows him much better than the other way round.

He must have been silent for a while - time doesn't quite flow as a vampire as it did when he was human, and that's especially true since he's in this state - as Jojo went back to reading. Or maybe he's just sleeping with his eyes open, the way he stares at his book without turning a page. Dio has no mercy, so he doesn't let him rest.

"So, as I have no choice but to be in your presence," he muses, feeling a malicious spark of pleasure as Jonathan jolts awake, "you could have the courtesy to entertain me. Or do you plan to bore me to death?"

"Dio… what do you expect?"

"You could give me a book," although he's not sure how he would hold it or turn a page, in his small cage. "Or read out to me, at least."

"This is about the old South American empires as the Spanish found them. Will that do?"

"If you don't have anything more sophisticated…"

"It's the only one I have with me right now."

Jojo reads it out to him, pausing to muse over bits he finds interesting, telling Dio details he's not particularly interested about. Yet, it's not a terrible way to pass time - they even manage to discuss bits and pieces, about the Aztec, the Inca , their rituals. It does seem like a harmless conversation, which Dio can't help but find ridiculous under the current situation. He only plays along as he doesn't want to go back to the boredom of silence.

What have they used to talk about? All kinds of silly little things as far as he can remember. Once they have settled into their seven years long ceasefire period, the forced friendly chit-chat became unavoidable. They weren't even unpleasant, just meaningless. He never quite managed to win Jonathan's trust - he miscalculated how he really was when they first met, he assumed the spoiled Joestar boy will be easily intimidated, that it will be a piece of cake to push him to the side, to have him fall into despair.

He was wrong, as he learned the hard way. Jojo had his sneaky little means to find happiness when by all means he was meant to be miserable, and when Dio took even that from him, he snapped and beat him. The bloody brute.

After that Dio was much more careful. He lost his temper too easily, and that exposed him. But the damage was already done, and Jojo remained suspicious of him.

Funny how that suspicion led to his exposal of poisoning that old fool Joestar, which in turn led to him using the stone mask on himself, fulfilling the fate he always hoped - _knew_ \- he had; becoming something much more superior than a mere human, a being who had the chance to rule the whole world.

That is the thing with Jojo. Since they met, he has been, directly or indirectly, the cause for all dramatic turnpoints in Dio's life. There is no logical explanation how he can play such a role, why their fates are so strongly intertwined. But is undeniable. It is happening again right now, after all.

As he thinks it through, a strange feeling of peace fills Dio. For the time being, it is maybe all right to be held captive by Jojo like this. For all intents and purposes, this very well might be their destiny. They will, he assumes, fight again. He will conquer over Jojo finally. But right now he doesn't have to struggle - he is sure that things will go in a direction they are supposed to go. Which means that he will end up as victor of course.

4*/*/*

"Are you looking for company, my sweet?"

Jonathan blinks in surprise at the young woman who made herself comfortable on the chair beside his.

He came to the pub for a drink and for some time alone to think, not really looking where he was going - ending up at this rather dingy establishment with its soggy tables and hostile-looking co-drinkers. The wine they serve here is nothing like the ones he was used to at home. One gulp of it was enough to make his throat burn and his stomach flip, so he rather just stares into his cup, creating little circles on the surface of the vile thing with his Hamon. Father always scolded him if he played with his food or drink, but the cloudy, reddish slop doesn't really seem drinkable for him, so he considers it all right. It helps him to think - about Dio, the stone mask, the clues he found about its origin during his research, and most of all - what on earth is he supposed to do with all of that.

"Err, ah, thank you," he stammers his reply, putting his cup down with some embarrassment. "But I'm all right on my own."

"Are you sure?" the unknown lady asks, scooting closer. "You look lonely and worried. I could make you forget your troubles." She puts a light hand on his arm, confusing him even further. "I could make you forget _everything_ you don't want to remember."

He has no idea how he is supposed to react to that - he doesn't know much about women. When they were twelve, it was easy to talk to Erina - but she was really one of a kind. She was daring, funny, and it was just good to be in her presence. With her, it was natural for him to be honest, to be himself - with all his awkwardness, frustrations and childish hopes - because she was really interested in him. He loved her, because she didn't make a big deal of him being a boy and her being a girl, she just seemed to be happy to spend time with him without overcomplicating the situation.

The girls he met on the balls his father insisted he attended were greatly different. Jojo hold their interest when they learned he was the Joestar heir - but not for any other reason. They got bored with his talk about archaeology, dogs and horses or sports. If he asked them for a dance - and he did, because his father was always hopeful he will find love and marry one of them - they always accepted. Then they kept wincing when he stepped on their legs, frowned when he bumped into other dancers, casted long-suffering glances at other girls when their eyes knowingly met, until Jojo wanted nothing else but the earth to open up and swallow him.

He heard their whispers, how they wished Dio was the real heir, and not just the adopted son. It was hard to blame them, as the blond has always been the real star of these evenings: graceful, polite, witty and charming. Jojo never knew if he really enjoyed these balls or if he just played along, pretending so professionally what others wanted to see. He was a good actor, able to deceive even Jojo, who knew his dark side better than anyone else.

"I can make you feel so good that you'll never worry again," the young woman next to him purrs, her touch becoming definitely inappropriate as her fingers slide from his arm to his chest. It dawns on Jojo that she might be a prostitute.

What is the gentlemanly thing to do in such situation, he wonders. He's not even sure she's not just overly friendly - and slightly tipsy - although he can't help but notice how her dress is showing more than what usually is shown… She catches him staring at her ample bosom, and smiles at him slyly. He grabs her wrist when her caress slides down on his stomach towards the band of his pants.

"Thank you," he says gently, "but I'm not looking for company." He knows how their classmates at Hugh Hudson Academy often paid for the services of the local women. He disapproved of that - even if it was not always easy to keep the urges of his body in check. But to pay a woman with a few coins for using her like _that_ was not a gentlemanly thing to do at all. The other boys always laughed at him when he declined their invitations to go along with them to the few establishments the town hold, but he kept to his moral code then and he's keeping to it now.

The suspected prostitute pouts at him. He releases her hand and tries to give her a friendly smile. There's some movement from behind his back, and the entrance door slams shut. Jojo reaches for his pack, just to realize he is robbed.

"Serves you well, limpdick," the woman sneers maliciously at him and he can only gape in reply. So much for him feeling noble.

The bartender shouts after him as he charges outside, so he wastes a few moments with stopping for a promise that he'll be back with the payment for the drink.

The thief is small and fast, and if not for the breathing technique he learned from Zeppeli, he would lose sight of him despite his longer strides. The other obviously knows the city well as he dashes through wide roads, narrow alleys and busy squares. People are all hurrying home on the darkening streets, so he has to push his way through the crowds. Lucky that usually it's enough for people to glance at him and give way.

They have been staying in London for weeks, and Jojo can now admit how he hates the capital. He longs for the countryside, for the long walks on the fields around the mansion, the quiet town nearby. It's dirty and crowded in the city, and something just always happens. He is attacked, he is robbed, he has to search for a crazy little Chinese man selling poison to his adopted brother.

He will ask Dio how he managed to cope with the awful place as a kid. Surely it wasn't easy. He feels even as an adult, even with more than enough money in his pockets, this place is barely liveable. How could a poor child manage, he has no idea.

The thief runs towards the docks and with the open space Jojo can finally catch up. The little man looks back over his shoulder as he gets near, takes in his size and throws his bag off, running away as Jojo stops for it.

He doesn't chase after him. Surely, he had his reasons. Cocooned as his life has been, he is still aware of poverty. His father always taught him to be considerate of people who weren't born as lucky as them.

He takes a deep breath of the wet, cool air. The wind is strong here, but he welcomes it. It only carries smell of fish and stale water, and he prefers that to the usual stench of London: filth, too many sweaty, unwashed bodies, grime from the chimneys. Surely it is the same here during the mornings and daytimes, but so late in the afternoon he finds the docks surprisingly peaceful. The River Thames is dark and majestic as it sloshes gently against its bank.

He walks around the port, letting the cold breeze calm and clear his mind.

Dio has never talked about his childhood, and Jonathan never asked. The blond kid was so mean to him - he said and did so horrible things Jojo couldn't even dream of before, so he felt no urge to learn more about him, to understand him. How did he manage to get on day by day in London, why he never even mentioned his father, when did his mother die, was there always food on their table, or did he starve? Did he have to steal to eat? What shameful, dark secrets he carried, what happened to him to make him so hostile, aggressive and cruel? What fuelled his all-consuming ambition?

Spending a childhood in the slums of London was surely a big contributor for him to turn out the way he was. If Jojo had been stronger, if he made an effort to learn more about the other boy, maybe even tried to befriend Dio, surely, he could have done something to prevent him going down that dark road. He has no doubt that his adopted brother's life was difficult before he arrived to them to a degree that Jojo could never even imagine. But it's still not too late. He still has a chance.

He sits down on a rock at the bank and looks at the dark waves of the Thames. For the first time since he found Dio's still living head, he feels finally at peace. He thinks he understands now why they are here, why his life is still centred around Dio. Surely, their fate wants him to finally understand what made Dio the way he is. He can get to know him, understand his motives and will have the chance to try to explain why he sees the life Dio has chosen as wrong. The other man is his nemesis - their destiny is to fight each other but also to understand each other. It's the strangest thing to accept: nobody is as close to him as the blond. He has more than enough reason to hate him - yet he doesn't. He is ready to accept their undeniable connection, this bizarre friendship he feels despite everything that's been said and done. They are two sides of the same coin. If there is the slightest chance to save Dio's soul, he must try it. If there will be no other choice for him but to destroy the vampire in the end, he will probably die with him. But before he commits any unchangeable deed, he will try and try and try again to patch their torn relationship.

He clutches his reclaimed bag close to his chest. He has the tickets he purchased today inside, so he is very glad he could get it back. In two weeks' time, they are going to America. He was more than uncertain about the idea of the journey, but he's now sure it's the right decision. Things are not logical if they are concerning Dio, but it's all right.

Night falls rapidly around him, so he stands up, brushing off his pants. He needs to go back to the pub to pay for his drink and then he has to hurry back to the inn. He's can't shake off the absurd idea that Dio will be worried about him if he's late.

5 */*/*

He doesn't like to admit even to himself, but Dio is worried. Light doesn't shine through the drawn curtains on the window, the wooden box and the thick cloth covering his cage, but he still knows night has fallen long ago. It seems that he still has an internal clock, telling him when it's daytime and when it's safe for him to go outside to hunt in the dark despite how he can't do it right now. Without a better choice, he slumbers his days through and wakes at nightfall. Jojo is usually back by that time from whatever he's doing in London during the days, and keeps him company.

With his body destroyed by Jonathan's Hamon, the needs of that body are gone too. Dio doesn't really feel hunger, thirst, tiredness or lust - although he can still remember them, can recall and picture them quite clearly. They remain only in his mind though, so he entertains himself with different things he can't feel or do right now. For example, he likes to picture sinking his fingers into Jojo's neck, sucking out his life-force. He can remember how good it felt when he did it in the tower, the excitement of pleasure, the lust for more, to take it all. But he only _remembers_ how it felt, he doesn't _feel_ the all-consuming need to drain the other man dry.

So, he spends his time alone with recalling things, and with fantasizing what he'll do once he finally escapes his imprisonment. When Jojo is back, they talk and the Joestar reads the daily papers or a book to him.

It's really strange how easy it is to fall into habit even in this state.

Jonathan goes off to pretend he can do anything sensible about Dio during the day, when the vampire is dozing. He comes back by nightfall, takes off the cover from the cursed cage and talks to him, mostly about his research on the stone mask, but sometimes just of inane things, life in London, the crowds, the libraries, the strange fashion some people follow. They discuss the news, books they enjoy - rarely the same ones. They even played chess a few times, Dio telling Jojo where to move his pieces and beating him ridiculously easily.

Jonathan keeps him entertained, which adds another drop to the already volatile mixture of his cauldron of confusing emotions concerning his nemesis. He keeps him imprisoned, but he tries his best to make this imprisonment bearable. He could have easily destroyed Dio, could do it any day. Or, if for some unfathomable reason, he decided to keep him alive, he still could just lock him off somewhere, guard the place with Hamon, allowing him no company apart from the voices in his head. He could go and live the boring life of a so-called gentleman, forgetting about the dark secret of Dio's continued existence.

But in a typically Jojo-ish way - a stubborn, stupid, doing-the-right-thing-even-if-it-kills-me way - he took Dio on as his responsibility. As if he is a stray, probably rabid dog he decided to take care of in secret, totally ignoring the dangers. It is insulting of course and Dio refuses to feel grateful for allowing him to live and for treating him with this bizarre companionship. But there is this annoying sense of fatality he always felt around Jojo. The feeling that their lives entwines, have always entwined around each other's. Surely Jojo feels it too.

Dio is sure that he is meant to conquer over Jojo one day. But he also has to admit that he can't help but admire his strength, his tenacity and his determination. He is just a man, a mere mortal, but he still managed to defeat him twice. So, for the time being he just plays along, endures his imprisonment and waits for the right chance. He has infinite time, after all.

But after these weeks - maybe even months, he's no longer sure, he quickly lost his proper sense of time - he's grown to expect Jojo to keep his side of the play, and that includes arriving back to the inn in time. Where on earth that bloody moron is? He never missed to come back by the time Dio wakes. Isn't he afraid he will make his move and try to escape?

What his chances are to break free? The cage is tiny, enveloping all that remained of him. Outside the basket there is the net vibrating with the Joestar's cursed Hamon. Truth to be told, Dio doesn't fancy feeling the burn of it through his flesh ever again. He remembers way too clearly how unbearable it was, the force of it as it dissolved his body, how it was preferable to cut off his own head to escape from its destroying light.

He wonders if something happened to Jonathan, when would the Hamon around his prison disappear. If, let's say, he is stabbed in the back when walking through some dark alley in the city and he bleeds to death, would the Hamon he infused the net with die along with him? Or would it live long after him, leaving Dio imprisoned, until someone comes into their room and opens his cage? He feels infuriated by the thought. How dare Jojo be so careless? If he dies, Dio might easily be exposed to sunlight, not being able to protect himself by any means. He claimed he feels some kind of responsibility for Dio, yet he is late, leaving him in doubt whether he's alive or dead.

By the time Jojo finally arrives back, Dio is fuming.

"Where were you?!" he demands the instant the cover is pulled from the basket.

"I'm sorry I'm late Dio," Jojo apologises way too lightly. "There was an issue I had to take care about."

"Hah, took your time, didn't you? Never mind that I'm stuck here waiting for you."

"I'm really sorry," Dio thinks the damned idiot is disguising a smile, and that makes him even angrier. "I was robbed and I had to chase after the thief through half of London. Exaggerating of course," he adds as if that wasn't obvious.

"How stupid can you be," Dio sneers. "The city is dangerous. You walk around in your expensive clothes, radiating you never knew poverty, what did you expect?"

"I'm careful, Dio, I was just distracted for a moment. There was this woman and ugh…" he trails off, blushing slightly.

The vampire raises his brows. He's not sure if he should be annoyed or entertained by this act of innocence. He always considered Jojo to be a naive fool, but he was proven wrong on that account, wasn't he? Stupid, pampered noble boy he showed himself to be, he still was the only one knowing Dio enough to suspect his schemes.

"A woman, ehh," he drawls. "You were always quite a delinquent when it came to girls."

"What? No, I'm not… This was different. She was, I think, a, well… a prostitute and she…"

"You kept me waiting because we were idling with a whore?" he doesn't have to act being offended by that.

"No!" Jojo denies vehemently, now red at the face. "You… why don't you stop twisting my words?"

"Hmph," as much he can, he turns away, showing he's still annoyed by the other's lateness. He wonders if Jojo realizes what a bizarre conversation they are having. He need to get a new body for himself to put their relationship on equal footing again. This wait during the days and depending on Jojo's mercy so much is maddening.

The thought gives him a pause. His plan is to kill Jojo, and to claim his body. Because that would be the perfect vengeance but also because nobody but him is worth to serve Dio like that, to become one with him. Nothing has changed, hasn't it? He shouldn't be thinking about seizing any other body just to talk to Jonathan as man to man. They are not equal - although Jojo proved his strength, he is still only human, while Dio is something much more. It's distracting to be so close to him on all nights, to talk to him only, but he shouldn't lose sight of his plans. He shouldn't forget that his destiny is greater than what the Joestar could ever dream of.

"Uhm, Dio…?" Jojo drags him back from planning his bright future to the present of the cage in the dark room. "I have some news to share."

"News?"

"Yes. Remember, we talked about the ancient empires of the Americas? And how the stone mask is coming from somewhere in Mexico. I found some further clues and that convinced me that it might be worth to visit some old ruins. So, I decided - we are travelling."

"To... Mexico?"

"Well, to New York at first. And we will make our way from there. I… A ship is going in two weeks' time. I bought the tickets today." He takes them out from his bag, brandishing them in front of Dio's eyes.

"Is someone accompanying us?" the blond asks with suspicion.

"It's for the two of us, Dio," Jonathan smiles at him with unexplainable warmth. "We are going to see the world."

"You realize that I don't need a ticket, do you? Right now, I'll count as a package."

"That just… didn't seem right. I mean, even if you are… a head… you are still a person. It would have been wrong not to buy a ticket for you."

He feels oddly satisfied hearing that, but does his best not to let it show on his face.

"If you have that much money to waste, you should rather get me a more fitting carrier. This basket is really unworthy to hold someone like I, Dio. It's very selfish of you for not thinking of getting something better for me yet."

Jojo doesn't rise for the bait, just continues to smile and promises he will look into that as well. He looks quite elated with his decision on their overseas travel. Dio wonders why is that. Surely there are people he cares about in England who he is leaving behind. It would make more sense for him to be saddened to travel so far with only Dio as company.

His spirit seems unbreakable, making him naive and optimistic, but that is just as much his strength as it's his weakness. He just never stays on the ground if beaten, never remains depressed for long. Dio knows he should find this cheerful determination annoying, but in truth it always fascinated him.

Jojo said they are going to see the world, and Dio thinks they indeed will. This travel surely will give him more opportunities to escape. Does Jojo realize that? He has to. But there is no escape from fate, they both learned.

"See the world, you say? Make sure I will actually see something of it."

As it started to be his habit, Jojo touches his cage with light fingers. He probably means it as a friendly pat on the shoulder. It's an endearing, yet frustrating gesture - it's almost like a caress, yet it is not. A promise of something he doesn't quite understand.

"It's going to be alright, Dio. I believe this journey is what we need. Let's see how it goes, shall we?"


	2. Chapter 2

6 */*/*

 _Dear Speedwagon,_

 _How are you faring? I trust life is treating you well and finally you can have some rest after all we have gone through._

 _I can't believe almost a month has passed since I sent my last letter, and I must apologise for that. A lot have happened since then, but allow me to reply to your questions first._

 _I am still in London, but this is my last day here (more about this below). I really couldn't learn to like the city, but I think for that I am to be blamed and not the people here. I'm just more used to the quiet of countryside than the crowds and the constant noise. The parks are a real heaven, and so are the libraries. The libraries are truly amazing in fact, I would have never progressed so much with my research if not for the astonishing number of fantastic books they store._

 _I was careful of my belongings as you warned me, but still, I was almost robbed once. Luckily the thief couldn't escape and I got my bag back without harm coming to anyone._

 _I really appreciate that you worry for me, and I know my leave was abrupt. You don't need to concern yourself however, I am doing fine. I'm very satisfied with my progress on my research and although I don't really have time to "have fun" next to it, that is all right._

 _Yes, the research does concern the Stone Mask. My apologies, but I can't reveal the details, other that this is something I have to see the end of. My father always said that a man's duties comes first before anything else, and he was right. I don't want to keep secrets, but there are some things I need to deal with on my own. Please trust me on this._

 _As I wrote above, this is the last day I spend in London. My research came to the point when I must travel to unravel all mysteries. On the 5th of next month I'm boarding a steamship that crosses the Atlantic. Can you believe it only takes it 8 days to reach New York? I'm so excited about it, I never travelled farer than France._

 _I know it's a bother, but I wonder if you could meet me in Liverpool on the 4th. I'd love to say proper goodbye to you and discuss the best way to keep in touch. I'll rent a room at the closest proper inn to the port. If you can't make it, don't worry about it - I'll write to you from the New World!_

 _Yours sincerely,_

 _Jonathan Joestar_

Speedwagon has re-read this note for what felt like a hundredth time, until he memorised the words by heart.

Miss Pendleton got a very similar letter from Mr. Joestar. Kind, optimistic, but not revealing much. She wasn't asked to come to Liverpool, but she said it was for the best.

"If I meet Jonathan, just to see him leave again, I might break down. He doesn't need my tears when he so obviously has something important to do," she said. "I trust him, Mr. Speedwagon, and I'm sure he wouldn't leave us behind without having a good reason. Tell him I miss him… no, don't tell him that, but rather that I hope he can be back soon. And that I wish him good luck for whatever he needs to do."

So Speedwagon is here on his own, afraid that he might be breaking down too. Miss Pendleton is such a kind but strong woman, not holding Jonathan's sudden disappearance against him - and it's not the first time it happened either. In her stead, Speedwagon feels just a bit angry at Jojo for leaving her - _them -_ behind.

The anger is gone when Mr. Joestar bounces down the stairs of the inn, catching him in an inappropriate, bone-crushing, but all too comforting embrace.

"Speedwagon! I'm so happy you could make it," he beams at him. He looks somewhat tired, but nowhere as worn out and agitated as he seemed when they last met. "Do you want a drink? Or lunch? Or should we just have a walk?"

"Let's go for a walk, Mr. Joestar," he says, feeling just a tad disappointed when the hug ends.

It has been raining for days, but finally the clouds are clearing up with a tentative sunshine peeking through. Jonathan talks about his research as they walk the streets, about ancient cultures worshipping blood, violence, about human sacrifices to pagan gods. He tells Speedwagon about London, then smiles sheepishly when he realizes the shorter man is way more familiar with the capital than he is. He asks how he is doing, how Miss Pendleton is, if they lack anything.

When he mentions how happy he is for the return of the nice weather - _I'm just a tad nervous about the journey, so I'm glad we don't start to cross the ocean in a stormy weather -_ Speedwagon just can't take it anymore.

"This makes no sense, Jojo!" he exclaims, forgetting his normal, polite addressing in his exasperation. "Why are you running away? What do you think you will find in America? I'm here, but if you don't tell me your reasons, how can be of any help?"

"I'm sorry… Robert," he uses his given name with a just noticeable hesitation, making Speedwagon embarrassed for his previous uninvited familiar addressing. "I've already burdened you enough with what are my own issues. It's probably selfish of me to have asked you to come here before I sail off. There's no need for you to get involved in any dark business again."

"Mr. Joestar, you are the least selfish man I know!" Speedwagon all but shouts, earning them a few disapproving glances from passer-bys. "Just please, allow me to be of some help!"

"You can call me Jojo, you know," he smiles at him. "Everyone does, so it's rather silly for my best friend to call me Mr. Joestar. But really... I can't really say anything more than I have unfinished business still, something I can't give onto anyone else."

"So, it is still about Dio, isn't it?"

Jonathan nods slowly.

"But how can he still cause you trouble? You destroyed him, he shouldn't have any powers left from behind the grave…" he trails off, his lingering suspicions materializing in a more concrete from of fear. "Because he did die, didn't he? I thought you have even went to check if anything was left of him…"

Jonathan is a way too straightforward man. He did his best to keep his horrible secret, but asked directly about it, his face is an open book, easy for Speedwagon to read. He wishes he couldn't, the last thing he wanted was his suspicions confirmed.

"You see now, that I have no other choice but to leave from here, go as far as possible from my loved ones," he says quietly. He looks determined.

"Oh, my god," the shorter man gasps. "He's… he's still alive then? But how?"

"He's not human anymore. And I… he's my responsibility."

"No, he's not! You must destroy _it,_ Mr… Jojo. Before it's too late."

"I'm afraid I can't, Robert. I know this is all too strange and frightening, but I came to believe that Dio and I - we have a destiny we haven't fulfilled yet. He is quite harmless in his current state. Not much is left of him since our last battle. I know this sounds absolutely crazy, but once again I have to ask you to trust me. I know what I'm doing...or at least, I know what feels right for me to do."

There's no convincing him. Speedwagon tries, but all his reasoning and pleading bounce back from the strong wall of Jonathan's determination.

"Allow me to be of help at least," he pleads at long last. "You don't need to take on such a burden alone."

"There are two things I'd like to ask of you."

"Anything."

"I need to understand and master Hamon even more. If Tonpetty or Straizo are still in England, can you help to connect me to them? I will write regularly from America, and I'll leave my address as soon as I'll have one. The other thing…" he trails off, steeling himself probably. "I don't know when or if ever I can be back. I don't want to burden Erina with this nightmare, because how could I explain to her all that's happened? If I start to talk about Dio, zombies and the stone mask, I'm afraid it will sound like a distant, half-forgotten nightmare to her. Or she will think I'm mad. And I don't want her to be involved with such horrors anyway. The less she hears from me the better. Still, can you make sure she doesn't lack anything? If there's something I can do for her from afar, I'll do. She just won't need to know it's from me."

"Mr. Joestar…" his voice hicks, on the verge of breaking down in tears.

"Don't be sad, Robert," Jonathan clasps him on his shoulder. His blue eyes radiate confidence. "Everything is going to be all right. I strongly believe that this is how it should be."

Speedwagon takes a deep breath to hold his sobs at bay and nods, silently making a promise to help both Miss Pendleton and Jonathan with everything he can. There's not much he can do in such a situation, but if he needs to become a better, stronger, richer man to be able to help, he will.

They have a pint later, talking about carefully non-evil-personified topics, and he does his best to enjoy their time together. When night starts to fall, Jojo excuses himself. He says something quite inexplicable as Speedwagon walks back with him to the inn he's staying at.

"He gets quite annoyed if I'm still out by the time he wakes up. I think he's rather lonely without me right now."

He sounds so matter of fact, Speedwagon doesn't even get who he is talking about at first. He stops dead in his tracks when he understands it though, and gapes at the taller man. Jonathan just continues to walk, with a small smile at the corner of his lips.

They say their goodbye at dawn next day, before Jojo boards the ship. He has two trunks with him. Just thinking about how one of them has to host whatever remained of Dio sends a chill down on Speedwagon spine.

He stays in the port until the ship disappears on the horizon. He still feels like crying, but he doesn't. He thinks of Jonathan's calm voice and kind smile, his peaceful determination to do what he considers the right thing to do, and that gives him strength as well.

This Speedwagon won't be just a bother any more, he vows himself. He will make sure to become a man that Jonathan can trust, consult and turn to help for.

7 */*/*

Jojo is talking with some silly girl in front of their cabin. The young woman sneaked away from her aunt and uncle she's travelling with, to finally get to know the _mysterious gentleman who never stays on the dinners or for music during the night._ She babbles on and on about the trip to America, how excited she is about it, her dull life in England, her dull little hobbies, her dull interest in poems and romantic novels. She sounds just a bit out of breath as she talks to Jonathan, trying to pry information out of him as well. _Where he's travelling to, why he's alone, does he have a fiancée,_ it goes on.

Dio knows her type. He met these pretty little vultures on the balls they used to attend from their later adolescent years. He heard their polite, superficial interest in Jojo more times than he ever wished to - which was none at all - and understood their much deeper longing for the Joestar fortune. They danced with Dio to question him about the manor, the lands surrounding it, the yearly income of the old fool, but never about his stepbrother. They were interested in the heir, but not the person. They were worthless and impossible to tell them apart. Dio smiled at them, because he knew they would never get the wealth he had plans to acquire for himself. He told them dishonest, cheap compliments, flirted with them without really putting an effort into it, and they let him kiss them, fondle their breasts and reach under their skirts when nobody could see. He saw the regret in their eyes when they refused him to go any further. Because in the end, he was not noble by blood, not an heir to any fortune. In the gutters where Dio spent his childhood, studying at a university to become a lawyer was a dream so high very few dared to dream, but to these spoiled, valueless bitches that was not enough.

He preferred the women who honestly sized Jojo up. The ones who appreciated all those muscles he put on, the board back and shoulders, the kind smile and the open, genuine, innocent blue eyes. They were usually women a couple years their senior, sometimes middle aged, looking for an attractive, agile lover. They always ended up in Dio's arms when they realized Jonathan's code of ethics was real, and not only for show as with everyone else on the balls.

They made the soirées bearable. He could get through the dances, the fake smiles and the whispers behind his back he had to pretend not hearing because he knew he'd get his reward from these women. By midnight, they were always sloshed and only longed for a hard cock in their noble cunts, to fuck with someone young and handsome, while their wealthy, fat, balding husbands had one more drink and looked away as their wives slipped out into the garden or into an empty room with Dio.

He built up quite a reputation among these so-called ladies. He loved the power he had over them and the expensive gifts they sent him later. The Joestars were, of course, clueless, always clueless.

It was ridiculous that people like Jojo existed, who believed in purity, marrying the choice of the heart. Who believed in the goodness of men and women. It has always been entertaining - to a degree - to listen to him struggling with his conversations. He never seemed to have any illusion of the spoiled girls having any real interest in him and he didn't understand what the older, married women wanted from him.

At thirteen he didn't have issues with chatting up the other gender, did he? But Dio got rid of the Pendleton girl, and Jonathan didn't really show interest in anyone else after that.

It's annoying to listen to this stupid twat trying to attach herself to Jojo with increasingly desperate hints. He should join her and her chaperones at dinner, she says, they should go for a walk (to where, Dio thinks, straight to the ocean?), maybe sit together to watch the seabirds and dolphins accompanying the ship. But it's amusing to hear Jojo politely but firmly decline all her offers.

After long, boring minutes of this, Jonathan finally makes his escape back into the cabin. Dio makes sure to glare at him when he is uncovered, but the Joestar seems unimpressed by it.

Before the trip, Jojo got him a new, improved prison. He now has a glass cage, with a pillow in it to rest the stump of his neck on. He hasn't told Jojo that he doesn't feel discomfort. That cursed, Hamon-filled fine net is still covers the case and he's hidden in the by now familiar wooden box at daytime.

" _Lovely_ Miss Whatshername seemed really keen to get into your pants or wallet or both," he remarks. "You could have invited her in to have tea with _us."_

"Don't be like that, Dio," Jojo smiles. Lately he seems unaffected by whatever Dio tries to unnerve him with. What an annoying man. "She was just friendly and probably bored. She's travelling with her old uncle and aunt and…"

"Yes, I heard the details. Bla bla bla, uncle and aunt… bla bla bla… America… bla bla bla… you look rich, why don't we do something after what you'd be forced to ask for my hand."

"She wasn't like that!" Jojo denies without much conviction. "Girls are confusing though."

"Are they? I think their intention is usually clear as snow."

"Well, you are the most confusing person _on earth,_ so maybe everyone else seems simple to you."

Dio raises his brows, not sure if he should take this as an insult or a compliment. In the end he just lets it go.

"Should we make another attempt at chess tonight?" Jojo is a terrible player, but there's a level of satisfaction in instructing him to move Dio's white pieces to slaughter his black ones, and in lecturing him on why his own moves were bad after the game.

"I was thinking… once the passengers go to sleep, I can take you out, so you can see the ocean as well. There's a full moon tonight, and I think the water will look pretty even in the dark."

It's a surprising offer, but of course Dio agrees. Since Windknight's Lot, he has only seen the inside of different rooms of the inns and now the cabin on the ship. Naturally, he's hoping for an opportunity to escape, but Jojo is vigilant. He covers up his glass cage, with the Hamon barrier and all, and only lifts the front of the cloths when he sits down on a bench facing the waves, holding onto Dio's prison tightly.

He has to admit, the ocean does look majestic. The full moon paints the gentle, dark waves with a silver path. The sky above them is clear, no cloud is blocking the sparkling stars. It's hard to tell where the sky ends and where the water starts, the velvety-black infinity of space is…

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Jojo echoes his thoughts.

It is, and more than that. This night without borders, without the usual objects that clearly mark earth different from the sky makes him feel small, and he doesn't like that. On the other hand, he is impressed by how endless, how eternal the scene looks. He reminds himself that he'd become the ruler of the night, that the ocean - no matter how large it is - can't swallow him.

"The sea always made me feel insignificant," Jojo says pensively. "But when you're on the coast, or can see the land from a ship, it's different. Here, it really looks there is nothing else but the water and the sky, doesn't it? Like the world is gone. Does it make you feel the same way, Dio?"

"I certainly don't feel insignificant," he replies carefully, not sure what Jonathan is getting at. "The earth is still there, it didn't disappear just because we can't see it. But the night looks pretty, if that's what you're saying."

"God forbid me to imply you're not significant," Jojo smiles. Unsure if he's playfully teasing or rudely insulting him, Dio just glares at him. "Really, I don't want to! Look, you did have quite an impact on my life…" he trails off. He looks broody, but not painful.

"Yes, Jojo. If God exists and is controlling destiny, there's never been a relationship as calculated as ours. Without you, I would have never gained the power of the stone mask. If not for you, I'd rule the whole world by now. It was your choice to fight me, and not to destroy me. One day I'll change the world , will claim it as mine and reign over it, but your role won't be forgotten either."

"Dio. You don't make things easier, do you? You know that I can never set you free."

"Don't delude yourself, Jojo. You can't keep me captive forever. You decided not to destroy me - you must be aware that it's only a matter of time before I break free. When I do so, remember - it was your choice."

It must be this strange, infinite night that makes him speak so honestly. All this time he's spent in Jojo's presence filled him with the sensation that they are closer than two ordinary men could ever be. He's definitely closer to him than he has been to anyone else. He's never cared for honesty - to the contrary, he always took pride in his own skill at acting and manipulating others. To speak what is on his mind so freely is both frightening and liberating.

Jojo shifts the glass cage in his arms, until it is cradled to his broad chest. It is a strangely pacifying position, and Dio wishes the barrier separating them wouldn't be there. Maybe he wouldn't even attack Jonathan now. Maybe.

"I can't help but think that this is our destiny either," he says quietly. "Every morning I wake up and think that it might be for the best if the two of us would disappear from this world together. But then, this is also a second chance. Consider this, Dio: whatever happened, I forgave it. I'm not holding any grudge. What you do with this clean page - that's up to you."

"You're a fool," he wants to scold, but it comes out almost fond. _And you are my fool,_ he thinks. How strange. He always wanted power, to rule over others. He wanted power over Jojo too, but now, he wants something more. How weak he'd become in this state. He needs to make his move as soon as he can. Once he'll have a body and regain his strength, he can decide what to do with this connection he has with Jonathan.

8 */*/*

It is pure luck that helps Strazio to find Jonathan Joestar in the jungle that is New York. Luck or fate.

He meets a very agitated Speedwagon weeks after the other Hamon user left to America, and listens to him recalling the incredible story of how the monster Dio survived against all odds. How Jojo left behind everything in search of the path of his destiny.

Though Speedwagon is baffled, Straizo understands Jonathan. He recognizes predestination, so he doesn't think twice about following the young Englishman and boarding the next ship leaving to the New World. Speedwagon is in tears with gratitude when he tells him, he's leaving everything behind to find his friend and offer him his help. Reassures him that it is the call of Hamon to fight against the creature of the stone mask. That's what made him leave Tibet alongside with master Tonpetty and Dire in the first place as well.

What he tells Speedwagon is a valid reason enough, but it's not the truth. He has an altogether different motive behind his sudden leave. He can't deny the rush of excitement that fills him upon hearing Dio is still alive. Since the fight against the army of the dark in Windknight's Lot, he hasn't been able to get the vampire lord out of his mind. He is evil personified, that is without doubt - but just as undeniable is his charm. With his eternally young and beautiful face and powerful body, Straizo can't resist him more than a moth can the lure of candleflame.

Thinking that Jonathan destroyed him for good, he did his best to forget about him. He saw his demonic body melt away, just as he saw the stone mask shatter to pieces under Speedwagon's hammer. He tried to convince himself that is how is should be. Humans were meant to age and die. He's no exception.

But the meeting with Speedwagon makes him realize he was deluding himself. He wants that immortality, that beauty, that power what Dio holds. And he will claim it for himself.

Straizo doesn't consider himself an evil man. He's not selfless, he doesn't aspire to live for the greater good, but he has no demonic intentions. He doesn't want to conquer the world, he doesn't want to rule over others or kill people for the thrill of it. He just can't bear the knowledge that his body will grow older and older with each year, that his mind will lose its sharpness, he doesn't want to slowly fade out of life. If he is granted the same powers as Dio has, he'll live with it much better. He's much more worthy to receive them.

To achieve his goal, he makes a simple enough plan. He just needs to distract Jonathan for a short while, to find where he's hiding Dio. He will promise freedom for the vampire in exchange for sharing his immortality. And once he's granted his wish, he will destroy the monster.

Looking at it realistically, he knows that the chances of finding Jonathan in New York without knowing where he's staying - without knowing if he's still in the city, really - are less than small. But they are destined to meet again, just as Straizo is meant to take the power of the stone mask from Dio.

So, he just walks the streets, until he finds him sitting in a pub, reading the local papers. The young, naive Joestar is overjoyed to see him. Straizo tells him how he met Speedwagon and, learning from him that Dio is still alive, how he travelled after him. He makes sure to keep his expression neutral, not judging as Jonathan probably expects, and not excited to be so close to his goal as he really feels, and the young Englishman tells him all that happened since Windknight's Lot, how he found Dio, how he hid him away, how he created his prison from straw, glass and Hamon.

"A question if you don't mind, my friend," he says quietly. "What was your reason behind keeping him alive?"

"I don't have a good explanation Strazio, other than I just couldn't bring myself to kill him _again._ As if finding him still alive was a message of fate - without any logical reason, it just felt the right thing to do."

"Destiny is only ridiculed by fools," he nods. He is here because of his own destiny too, after all. He can even convince himself that he's doing the Joestar a favour - he will get him and the world rid of Dio and be the guardian of the power of the stone mask himself. "You are no longer alone with this burden. Let me get some drink for us, so we can discuss this matter in details."

Jonathan protests of course, telling the Tibetan man that he doesn't want to drag anyone into the mess that is his and Dio's relationship, that he doesn't want to burden anyone with his choices. Tells him how grateful he is for his offered help, and how he would appreciate further training in Hamon - but how he doesn't want Straizo to concern himself with all this mess with Dio.

Straizo of course waves the protests away as he stands to get them a pitcher of wine. He won't let the Joestar keep this gift of immortal youth to himself.

He brought enough sedative powder to send a bull into deep sleep, and he uses all of it, mixing it into the drink. Jonathan weights like a bear, and it wouldn't do for him to wake up before time. He is fairly sure that it won't do anything fatal to him. He's not his enemy after all, he just needs him out of the way until he finishes his business.

It feels like an eternity, pretending to sip his wine, talking about possibilities to ensure Dio will never break free, when he _knows_ what is going to happen today. He forces himself to smile understandingly when Jonathan starts to yawn, reassures him when he apologises, saying he understands how he must be very tired.

"I'm really sorry," the tall man mumbles, "I don't know what's gotten into me...just five minutes and I… just a minute…

Then he slumps down his chair. Straizo waits to see if he's really out cold, then smiles with satisfaction.

"It will be more than a minute or five Jonathan, but don't worry. When you wake, you'll be free of your cursed fate. Maybe you'll even thank me. You were proven weak in the end, but I'll lift your burden and will kill Dio in your stead. And I will live with the opportunity you were too much of a fool to even consider."

He passes a generous amount of money to the bartender, explaining that his friend was so tired that he fell asleep from some wine, and asks him to let him rest.

Luck continues to be on his side. In the inn where the Joestar said he rented room, there's a bit of a crowd from new coming guests and he sneaks in unnoticed. His heart hammers in his throat as he hurries up the staircase, gripping the keys he stole from Jonathan's pocket in his sweaty palm.

The room looks normal, one would not think it holds such dark secrets. An open book, some papers, pen and ink lying on the low table, a made bed, a trunk in the corner, a shirt peeking through its half-closed lids. And another trunk, carefully locked and covered in black velvet. Straizo rests his hand on it, trying to keep his excitement in check.

It's late afternoon but the sun haven't set yet, so he closes the shutters, and lights the lamps. It wouldn't do for Dio to perish before his time. With fumbling fingers, he takes off the cover and opens the lock of the cabinet. He knows what he will find, but still can't prevent a small gasp leaving his lips when amber eyes glare at him from inside.

"I remember you," the head says. It's such a dark wonder, he knows instantly that he made the right decision. This power, this eternality is meant to serve him. "You are one of those fools who came along to help Jojo. What are you doing here? And where is he?"

"I'm here to help you," he lies, taking out the glass prison that holds the vampire's head. "I met Jonathan by accident, and he told me about you. I realized I can't let a creature like you live in such unworthy condition."

Dio smiles at him. Even without his body, he managed to keep his glory somehow, his seductiveness just as strong as it was in Straizo's dreams. He looks confident - a demon who knows he can have anything he wants.

"And what would you like in exchange for your kind deed, my friend?"

"Share your power with me," Straizo breaths. "The stone mask is gone, but you can turn me into your kind, can't you? Make me immortal."

"Yes," Dio smiles. "All I need to do is to to inject my fluids into you and you'll be the prince of the night alongside me. But you are a Hamon user. You need to be careful, or your power of light will kill you."

"I'm master of the Ripple," Straizo claims proudly. "It won't betray me."

"Good. This shall be an enjoyable deal for both of us."

Straizo lifts the Hamon barrier easily and picks the living head out from the glass cage. It is so light, and from this close it seems fragile. It will be easy to crush him once the exchange of power is complete.

"This might hurt, but don't worry," the vampire whispers to him. "I've no intention to destroy your body."

Dio extends strange tentacles from beneath the stump of his neck and pushes them under the skin of Straizo's neck, right into the carotid artery. White, sharp pain bosoms through the Hamon-user's body, so suddenly that he can't even shout out. It's immediately followed by warm waves of pleasure. His whole being shakes, all his nerve endings on fire. It hurts, but it feels so good too. He sinks to his knees, moaning, begging for something, for some kind of release. Power is flowing into him. He wants to adore, he wants to serve, wants to do anything and everything for this wonderful creature who is granting him this pleasure, this might, his master, who gifted him with such feelings. He knows he will be unstoppable, he will never age, he will never lose his strength, his beauty, his powers.

Dio floats in front his eyes, his appendages still connected to his neck.

"Master," he breaths.

"Yes," the vampire smirks at him. "That's right. You know, my friend, I wasn't _entirely_ honest with you before. The stone mask would be needed to become a creature like me. I can give you power beyond imagination of course, but there's a price for that. The power will remain mine - I'm just lending it to you. I couldn't have made you my equal, even if I had any intention to do so. All I could do was to turn you into was a zombie, a servant of mine without your own will. Your purpose now is to serve me with this power you borrowed from me. I guess that wasn't your original plan, but you surely don't mind it now, do you?"

"I live to serve you, my Lord," he hears his own voice. Somewhere, in an isolated part of his mind, what little remained of the man he used to be screams at him, to move, to attack, to escape. But he can't. He's trapped in the nest.

"Good, good. I'm very happy you came. I'm in desperate need of a body. I think you'll be satisfied to learn that I plan to use yours. You'll live forever thanks to me, just as you wished."

Those tentacles tear through his flesh and muscles, snapping his vertebra without effort. There's no pain. His separated head rolls away on the floor, and Straizo's consciousness quietly fades into nothingness.

9 */*/*

Jonathan wakes with stiff muscles and a very dry mouth. He straightens his protesting spine as he leans back in his chair. His first thought - that he fell asleep at his desk again - is swept away as he opens his eyes and sees he's in a pub of some sorts. He blinks around in surprise, trying to recall how he got here and how on earth he ended up sleeping slumped on a table. He's never got so drunk to be unaware of his surroundings, and he doesn't think he started it now. Slowly, painfully slowly his memories start to return, although it still feels like his skull is stuffed with cotton where is brain normally sits.

He decided to sit in this pub as it offered him a quiet corner where he could ponder over his newly purchased maps, and undisturbed time to plan their journey to Mexico. He could already see he had lots of preparation to do - although there is a train taking them south, to get to the ancient ruins he will need to cross the wilderness, and that doesn't sound like a walk in the park. He'll need the relevant supplies, including a suitable carrier for Dio, so he can take him through the plains, jungles and mountains. Merchants are either looking at him strangely when he tells them of the trip he's planning or tries to sell him all kind of trash he definitely doesn't need.

So, he was sitting in the pub when… oh yes, there was that fortunate incident of running into Straizo, or more accurately, Straizo managing to find him in such a large city. He was so relieved to meet the older man - an insider to his problem, a Hamon user, an acquaintance of Zeppeli, an apprentice of Tonpetty. It seemed as if fate finally took pity on him, and sent in some help.

They were talking about Dio, and Straizo seemed so understanding of his decision. He even offered help in making sure he can keep Dio safely away from humanity, an offer which Jonathan didn't plan to accept. Happier he was of the prospect of the Tibetan man teaching him further Hamon techniques, as he was sure he'll need those, the way he planned to live his life guarding Dio's head.

It was liberating to talk to him. Jonathan remembers how he was telling him his plans to travel to Mexico in search of the origin of the stone mask and then… he just can't recall what happened after that. He apparently fall asleep, but why? Did the tension and tiredness of the last months caught up with him finally, now that there was someone with him to trust and help?

He'd like to believe that, but he can't. He feels dizzy when he stands up, his legs protesting those few steps he needs to make to the bar.

"Can I get a drink of water, please?" he croaks and drinks it down in one gulp.

"Glad to see you finally waking up, sonny," the bartender tells him. "I've never seen someone pass out from so little booze. Especially such a big guy. I was just starting to worry. If we had to move you, we'd have needed some extra help for that…"

"How long have I been sleeping?" Jojo asks, not able to repress a yawn. Where is Straizo now? Did he leave him to rest? But why didn't he wake him up to tell him to go back to the inn and have a sleep in a proper bed? He feels embarrassed for god knows how many people seeing him like this.

"An hour? Closer to two, probably."

Cold dread settles in the pit of Jojo's stomach. Something is not right here. That meeting with Straizo - that wasn't pure, good luck, that is for sure now. If the time passed wasn't enough of a clue, his lingering tiredness, his dry as a desert mouth and persistent nausea are.

"The man - have you seen the man I've been here with? The one with the long, dark hair."

"He said he has some business to attend, and asked me to let you sleep. So, I did. We don't have much traffic today anyway, and he did pay me good money," the bartender smiles, patting his pocket with a fond smile.

Jojo mumbles his thanks and staggers back to his desk. He checks his belongings - he has everything, his maps, his books, his money - except the ring that holds the keys to his room and to the chest Dio is locked in. He feels like crying. Straizo isn't exactly an old friend - but he's a comrade he fought along with. A fellow Hamon user. Why did he betray him so?

He picks up his bag and stumbles out to the streets. The sun has already set. As much as his drugged body allows - because he's now sure that Straizo put something in his drink - he hurries back to the inn.

He was misled. He naively thought that Straizo will understand his motives behind keeping Dio alive. Maybe it's not a surprise he wasn't, when Jojo was not really able to explain his reasons. But why didn't he say anything, why didn't he try to convince him he was wrong, if that was the case? Did he prepare to drug him straight from the beginning? He must have, if he carried the sedative with himself. He would have thought he earned more trust than that, after him seeing Jojo fight and defeat Dio in Windknight's Lot.

He didn't expect the other man to betray him like this. He didn't say anything, didn't contradict or argue with him - he simply made sure Jojo is out of the way, like he was nothing but a bothersome child, before he went off to… to...

Fear grips his insides, ruling over his desperation and anger. How could he be so naive? Dio was his responsibility, he shouldn't have assumed others can help him with this burden.

He starts to run, even though he's still woozy. He bumps into people, knocking them over, then helps them up, mumbling his apologies over and over again. They must think he is weak minded or drunk, the way they hurry off with worried glances over their shoulders. He wishes there aren't so many people out on the darkening streets. He is so dizzy he's afraid he'll throw up, and he has to support himself against walls and trees to keep himself upright. What the hell did that cursed Tibetan made him drink?

It was before sunset when Straizo drugged him and Dio is in such a vulnerable state. All he needs to do is to expose the vampire to the light of the sun and he will perish. In the prison Jojo created for him, he can't defend himself. The Hamon barrier that keeps him captive will do nothing to repel Straizo.

He knows he is too late. The long-haired man left him more than an hour, maybe even two hours ago. In the end, Jojo's actions will result in Dio's death. It's ironic that after all that his adopted brother had done, all the hardships Jojo had to overcome to defeat him, that he had to do his best to assure he is not a danger to the world, the idea of losing him for good fills Jonathan with terrible pain. How can this happen after he made up his mind to remedy his relationship with Dio? Why can't fate be kinder to him just once?

Night is deep and dark around him by the time he reaches the inn. The key to his room was stolen from him, but he doesn't need it. When he tests, he finds the door of his room isn't locked. He enters and carefully shuts the door behind himself. Even in the dark he can see the crate that hold Dio was moved. The shutters and the windows are wide open. Feeling lost, he looks around. The moon peeking in gives just enough light for him to make out the lump on the floor. It's like a ball. Like a human head.

With shaking fingers, he lights a lamp and kneels down to examine it. Then, for a long time he just stares at it. He knows relief is a very inappropriate emotion to feel in this situation, but he can't make himself concerned about that right now.

He brushes aside the long, dark hair that shadows the face of the decapitated head. Straizo's expression is surprisingly peaceful, as if he's only sleeping. There's almost no blood, just a little pool where the stump of the neck was meeting the floor. Not larger than if someone cut his hand with broken glass.

"Dio?" he calls out softly, although he _knows_ the vampire is nowhere nearby. He would feel his presence, if he was still here.

Unsure of what he should do now, what he should feel, he looks around, trying to figure out what is the proper way of dealing with Straizo's remnants. He shouldn't be found with the cut off head of a deadman, but just getting rid of it - burying it somewhere or throwing it into the channels - feels terribly wrong.

He takes a spare shirt out his trunk, planning to wrap the head into it until he can think of something better, then changes his mind. He can't quite put a finger on his suspicion, but it doesn't _exactly_ look like an ordinary part of a human corpse. Without giving it a conscious thought, he concentrates Hamon into his fingertips and touches the head again. He isn't even surprised when it dissolves into dust under the force of his Ripple, leaving nothing left of the man who was once Straizo.

So, what happened, he ponders, trying to click the pieces into place. The dark-haired man sought him out with the clear plan of drugging him. He learned Dio's whereabouts and hurried here. Instead of killing Dio, he ended the Hamon barrier and let the vampire out of his prison. As a reward, his archenemy turned Straizo into his zombie servant. Then cut his head off.

Absurd as that story sounds, it seems like a fact. The body is nowhere to be seen - surely Dio took it somehow. He is whole again. Jonathan had once cut him from the top of his head down to his chest. Dio just smirked at that - he didn't even appear to be pained as he made his halves fit together again. If a wound wasn't caused by Hamon or the rays of the Sun, it apparently wasn't anything permanent for him. Nothing that blood, plenty of human blood, couldn't heal. Jojo has no reason to assume that he can't fit his head to another man's body, can't claim it as his own.

There are numerous questions. Why did Straizo do this? What did he plan to achieve, as surely he didn't rush after them to America to sacrifice himself and help Dio escape. Where is the vampire now? How strong he is, how whole he is, how much danger he is to the unsuspecting inhabitants of New York?

Jojo doesn't have the answers, and in all honesty, they can wait. Dio is now out in the night. Jonathan wasn't careful enough and let someone who he thought to be an ally learn too much. Someone who was a such a fool, that he got himself killed and released the vampire onto the world again.

He walks to the open window, wishing for some clue what he should do now, but of course he doesn't receive any. He is on his own in this. He sighs, then with conscious effort, shakes off the miserable melancholy he's feeling. He can't afford to feel depressed. His burden, his responsibility is probably hunting innocent people right now. Who knows what he'll plan to do once he is healed. Jojo must find him and stop him before it's too late.

Will he attack? Will he create an army of undead again and send them against him? Or does he simply want to flee from Jonathan? Maybe he changed and will cooperate with him. That last is very improbable, sadly.

He tidies the room, putting away the empty glass cage and scrubbing of the splatters of blood from the floor. It doesn't take him long, and there are no marks left that Straizo was ever here. He tries to force himself to feel sadness at the Hamon user's death, but it's very difficult not to blame him for what happened. Jojo reminds himself that nothing is black and white and that he, himself if just as much to blame here.

When he's done, he sits down at the desk to write a letter to Speedwagon. He needs to tell him as soon as possible not to mention Dio to anyone ever again. This is when he sees the note. It's a short one.

 _This is not goodbye, Jojo._

It's a scribble, lacking the usual elegant flow of Dio's handwriting. The letters are shaky and there are couple of inkblots accompanying the brief message. It was written by a trembling hand. Nevertheless, that hand was already controlled by the vampire.

"I wonder if we'll ever finish our business, Dio, so we can say our goodbyes," he replies out loud. It certainly feels that their dance - the chase, the fight, besting the other, the deceivingly peaceful talks in between their clashes are looped in an endless circle. He folds the piece of paper into two and sinks it into his pocket.

He lets himself rest for a couple of minutes only. He can't idle for long - he has a vampire to find.

 _TBC_


	3. Chapter 3

10 */*/*

It takes him many nights to get his new body under control to a satisfying degree. It doesn't help that he needs to be careful with his feedings - it wouldn't do if Jojo could follow the trail of drained-dry corpses to find him before he's ready to face him. Without a better choice, he goes to the gutters, even if it disgusts him, even if it awakes unpleasant memories of his childhood. An unconscious man lying on the grimy pavement, reeking of cheap boozy. There's nothing of value on him, if not for his torn clothes and if he doesn't wake, he'll probably be robbed of those as well come morning. A woman, so thin she must be permanently starving, trying to keep her sobs back as a man drags her into a dark alley, his greedy hand already pushing her skirt up. A barefooted kid, eight or nine years old, drinking from the dirty water of the Hudson, his small hand constantly around the handle of a knife. They cast their eyes on the ground when he strides past. Scum like them tend to have very sensitive detectors to recognize beings so far above them as he is.

Even among them, he looks for the most miserable creatures, those whose disappearance won't be reported or even noticed. There are plenty of them in such a large city. It disgusts him to feed from them. They are dirty, dull, they remind him of his father, mother, his childhood self. They often stare up at him with eyes opened wide in wonder, as if Dio is the most beautiful thing they have ever seen, as if their greatest desire is to die by his hand, to give their blood for him to grow stronger.

He rarely grants their wish. Rather, he stops before killing them, using his hypnotic powers to make them forget what happened. He hates it, it makes the process of him getting whole slower, and he never had too much patience.

Jojo roams the streets, looking for him, so he forces self-control on himself. They are playing a cat and mouse game, and Dio doesn't like the role of mouse at all. For daytimes, he hides in the cellar of an old, abandoned house where the sunlight can't touch him. At night, he goes to hunt. The wound on his neck is still an angry, red mark. He needs the blood of plenty humans to heal, but Jojo makes it impossible for him to satisfy his hunger as fast as he longs to. Still, night by night, he's getting stronger.

When he claimed Straizo's body, it took him a ridiculous effort just to move it. He could hardly make his fingers hold a pen to write a one-line message to Jojo. He was shaking, hurting, feeling so weak. He was tempted to wait for Jojo and ask for his help. What a silly idea. He couldn't do that of course.

So, he heals slowly, night by night. Blood helps, even if stopping before his preys die is like stopping before orgasm. Dio used to do that for the so-called ladies, who wanted guilty pleasure without the risk of having to carry a bastard from him. He always loathed it, but it was better than nothing. Just as it is better than nothing now.

When he is not feeding, he's stalking Jojo. Every night the Joestar is walking the labyrinth of streets throughout the city, looking for him. Dio keeps a safe distance, but he makes sure he knows about the other's movements. He is so tempted to just wait for him on a dark corner. But he doesn't know what will happen when they meet again, and he can't afford Jojo to overpower him again. Their next meeting has to be on his own terms.

He also needs some time to come to terms with his own feelings concerning Jojo. They have evolved so much from the despise and hatred he felt for the rich, spoiled boy when they first met. First it became caution when Jojo unexpectedly learned to stand up for himself, grudging respect when he defeated him on the night he casted his humanity away. After the battle in Windkingt's Lot, they have finally matured to a mixture of adoration of Jojo's bravery, strength and unbreakable spirit, desire to best him and, most confusingly, a wish for their bond to never disappear. He admitted that the Joestar was much more than a feeble human - he was Dio's other part, the one who completed his destiny.

Dio is not used to feeling so much. What he wanted, he took. He still thinks Jojo's body would be much more worthy to serve as his own that Straizo's can be, but this time spent together with the man, powerless and vulnerable, completely dependent on his mercy, all the silly little discussions they had, made him yearn for more.

He wants Jonathan all for himself. Not just his body - that is nothing new, he's been lusting after it for years - but he also wants his undivided attention, wants to feel both his gentleness and his invincible power on his own skin, wants him to look at him and _see him,_ see him as he really is, wants him to still care for him, wants to be the most important, the _only_ important person in his life.

Dio's anger boils. He also wants Jonathan to suffer for awaking all these needs, these emotions in him. He wants him to feel the same way he does… no, he wants him to feel _this_ a thousand of times multiplied, and wants him to suffer because of it.

If this is love, he hates it. It's a torture.

He keeps wasting time on Jojo, when he has more important things to do. He has to conquer the world.

He needs to look at the situation realistically, he tells himself. Just because he wants to embrace and kiss Jojo now that he has a body again, doesn't mean the Joestar will be happy to let him do it. Dio might need a plan, and as a first step he needs to ensure Jojo won't just destroy him - again - when they meet.

He gets only glimpses of the man, from far away. He wonders if he misses him too, or if he's just haunting the dark streets of New York because he feels it's his duty to track and stop him.

One night, when he's sure Jojo is looking for him at a safe distance, he goes to the inn he's staying at. He gets in through the window easily enough. The trunk and the glass cage is still sitting in the corner of the room. He wants to smash them to million little pieces but resists the urge.

He goes through Jonathan's stuff without any real purpose. He used to do this all the time, breaking into the other boy's room, searching for any compromising items, blackmail material like love-letters or dirty novels, small items to take, a pocket watch, some money, hidden bar of chocolates.

There's even less to catch his interest here, just a few books and spare clothes really. He lifts a shirt to his face to inhale the scent, but it simply smells of the soap it was washed with. He drops it back to the chest with disappointment.

On the table, he finds five versions of the same unfinished letter addressed to a woman called Erina. Dio frowns at the name until he can place it. So, they have met again with that little bitch? He reads the contents of the letters, but they are composed of a few lines only, not really saying anything. _How have you been, I'm sorry for leaving so suddenly, I hope Speedwagon can help you with anything you need._ Dio wonders if Jojo managed to write and send the final version, and if he did, has he said anything of importance in the end.

This Speedwagon and Erina. For the first time, he's happy they crossed the ocean. Jojo's friends are far enough, leaving him alone for Dio. His fingers close unconsciously around the letters. He decides to come back tomorrow too, and try to determine how close contact Jonathan is with them. He will make sure to separate them if needed.

But the next night he finds no letters addressed to Jojo's friends. The table is cleared up and a single note awaits him.

 _We are no longer thirteen. Stop searching through my stuff, Dio._

How dare he… this bloody oaf… He grabs the pen and the bottle of ink without thinking, scribbling _I wonder that, as you still can't write a proper letter to Dear Erina by the looks of it_ below Jojo's note.

For the next week, Jojo stays at the inn at nights. He keeps the window open, but Dio doesn't go to visit. He wants to meet the other man, but he's also determined to have it happen on his own terms.

When the Joestar finally leaves his room, he apparently does so just to leave Dio a message again. It's annoying how well he knows him. Dio was always careful not to let anyone close, not to show his real face to people. Jojo was an exception - partially Dio was to blame there, as he let on too much on their initial meeting and during their first year spent under the same roof. Partially because of that, partially due to this strange bond they are sharing, Jojo became the only person to really know him.

The note he left on the table says: _We need to talk, Dio. If you don't want me to hunt you, it's your best interest as well. Straizo is dead. I suspect what happened, but I want to hear your version before making judgement. I want to trust that you won't start again what happened in Windknight's Lot. Things are always changing. Convince me that you can change for the better, too._

 _Why would I change, Jojo?_ He writes underneath. _I'm already perfect. I'm no longer human, I've no weakness. I won't age, I will only get stronger. Don't be such a naive fool._

 _I've noticed you leave no corpses behind Dio._ The reply waits for him the following night. _I did some investigation and found men and women with strange scars on their necks, not remembering how they got them. Why is that?_

 _If you don't change, you can't get stronger either. I've defeated you before. If you force me to do it, I will again._

Dio hates that he makes sense. Yet, he is not ready to face him so soon. He doesn't really have a desire to fight Jojo again - definitely not in an honest, face-to-face battle. Nor does he want to spend time in the glass prison again.

Without meeting each other, their exchange of short notes continues. It's almost as if they are talking. He gets frustrated sometimes, other nights he is entertained. He is not prepared for Jonathan to end it, yet he does. He is an expert in catching Dio off guard.

His last note reads: _Monday, I'm travelling to Mexico. I found the possible origin of the Stone Mask. If you want to come with me, be here on Sunday night. I'll arrange your means to be safe from the sun during the journey._

It reeks of a trap. Dio is of course more than interested in the stone mask - surely, the best place to seek more power is where it was coming from. It is frightening to think that Jojo might find something that would grant him even more might, when he is annoyingly strong already. He needs to be there to prevent something like that happening.

He takes the note without leaving a reply. He has to come up with the best plan, and he only has three days left.

11 */*/*

There's only so far that somewhat civilized transportation can take him. After the long and boring time spent on the train, he buys a horse and rides it on the increasingly narrower and bumpier roads. In the last village, after which there is nothing but wilderness, he purchases food, a blanket, maps, gadgets he thinks can be useful on his journey. His Spanish consist of a few words he picked up on his journey, although the hated Latin lessons are unexpectedly paying back, helping him understand more if he pays close attention. The locals are really kind and patient with him, so, he manages with pointing at things, with wide gestures and as a last resort, drawing on papers. They probably think he's totally crazy and charge him double the price for everything, but he doesn't mind. An old lady insists on giving him a crucifix as a present when she understands where he is heading. They are rather open about how they don't expect him ever coming back.

No villager is willing to show him the way to the ancient ruins, although they clearly know the location. They apparently think the place is cursed and they are probably right. Jojo doesn't want to endanger them, so he doesn't try to raise the fee he is willing to pay until someone gives in despite their better judgement. He's grown quite fond of these people under the few days he spent with them and he wouldn't want to be responsible for their deaths. He only makes them explain - as much as the language barrier allows - how to find the path to the ruins. When he leaves, the whole village - fifty, seventy people maybe - is there, waving him goodbye. Some girls are crying, which is rather disturbing – it gives the feeling as if he is heading straight to his own funeral.

He isn't sure at all what he will find once he gets to the ruins. Most probably nothing at all, just weather-beaten stones, old bones and some pottery fragments. He grins excitedly at the thought. All those hours spent will archaeology books, fantasizing about going on a real expedition were not in vain, he is out on the field! Truth to be told, he wouldn't mind not finding anything more dangerous than rust-eaten knifes.

His gut feeling is that he won't be that lucky. The mad steersman in charge of the wheel of his fate doesn't like him to just do as he pleases. He is sure he will find more about the stone mask. He hopes for some clues which will help him to decide what he should do with Dio. He longs for the clarity he felt at their battle, for it to return to him again, when he could see so clearly that he is able to defeat his nemesis. It was the same feeling when he found him still alive but helpless - he just _knew_ he couldn't kill him for good. Jojo prefers when a choice is black or white, not this greyish mass of jumbled thoughts and emotions he feels nowadays when he needs to decide _anything_ related to Dio.

He hopes as hell things will become straightforward at one point again, as right now he has no idea at all what would be the right thing to do. Logic dictates that he must stop Dio - he can't allow him to roam the night, kill innocent people or turn them into his minions. But if he does that, what these last months were for? They have made a connection - or maybe it was always there, and they have just started to acknowledge it. He can't claim he fully understands Dio's motives - and even what he does, he can't approve of - but still, he can't hate him either.

It hurt, when he thought he destroyed him in Windnight's Lot. He told Dio he wouldn't feel regret over killing him, but he was wrong. He doesn't want to kill him _again._ He hopes against all chances that Dio won't force him to do it.

The trip through the wild is long and tiring, but the untamed nature around him is certainly beautiful, nothing he could ever see in England. Once he reaches the mountains, he has to climb upwards on a narrow, steep path. Daytimes are hot and humid, but as he ascends higher and higher, the nights become unpleasantly chilly. Every evening Jojo sets his camp and lights a small fire to keep himself warm. The beasts of the area often gather to check him out, but never come too close. Once he encounters the large, spotted cat that is on the top of the local food chain. The jaguar watches him for long minutes, but doesn't try to attack him. Jonathan believes the animal can sense the flow of Hamon in him, and that's why he keeps his safe distance from the human who could be an easy prey otherwise.

Jojo considers this meeting a good omen. The cat reminds him of Dio with his amber eyes and graceful movements. He is a majestic beast, but as he flashes his fangs at him, Jonathan is stuck by the notion that he is afraid of him. Surely, he is not used to be cautious of anything and is disturbs him. When Jojo stands up, undecided whether he should make any move towards him, the beast disappears into the bush as if he was never there.

He wonders when the real Dio will make his appearance. He's been following him ever since he left New York. He was afraid at first that the train was too fast and he lost him, but idling a few days allowed the vampire to catch up with him. He follows him on nights and rests during daytime, while Jojo is making progress towards his goal, apparently just as wary of him as the jaguar was.

Dio was never the one to take on battles he wasn't sure of winning, but this is taking cautiousness to another degree. Jojo lets him play the game as he wishes, unsure how should he behave when they finally meet again.

It's mid-day when he reaches the ruins, the sun high up on the sky, making the air boiling hot even through the heavy vapour clouding it. The ancient pyramid is overgrown with the rich flora, but it still rules the landscape, majestic and ominous. He spends the whole day searching for some entrance, cutting down lianas, moving heavy, slippery rocks, digging through the soil. He is exhausted by the time he finds his way inside. The sun is setting. He knows the timing is far from perfect but now, that he is so close to his goal, he has no time to waste.

He doesn't have more than a few hours ahead of Dio - the vampire proved to be quite fast in catching up with him. If there is anything of value in this ruin, Jojo needs to find it before his nemesis does.

He lights a torch and descends into the mausoleum. The air is stale inside, and he slips more than once. The stairs are covered by moss, and the walls are damp under his touch. He enters a small chamber, where on an altar lies a withered mummy of a man. His flesh and clothes have rotted away long ago, but his long, white mane still clings to the remaining skin of his skull. He is heavily jewelled - although the gold and gems are dull from the tarnish age layered on them, Jojo can still tell they must be worth a fortune. He doesn't inspect them more closely - what really excites him is the table the mummy is lying on. He fishes out a handkerchief from his pocket and raising the torch high - careful not to set the withered corpse on fire - he wipes off the moss that's covering the cravings on the altar.

He immediately knows his travel has not been in vain. Beaten by weather, humidity and unforgiving time, the symbol of the stone mask is still clearly recognisable. He balances the torch against the wall to take some quick notes and sketches of what he found here. This is a good catch, but he is sure there are more to find.

Scribbling down the details he deems important about the mummy and the altar, he goes even further into the dark chamber, finding a narrow opening leading into the very heart of the ancient complex. Cold sweat breaks out on his temple as he walks down on it. All the way the walls are decorated with the carvings about some dark, bloody ritual. Beheading, blood being captured in vessels, the stone mask and a creature that drinks the blood, wears the mask. The narrow path unexpectedly opens into a huge space, the ceiling so high and the opposite wall so far that Jojo can't even make them out in the flickering torchlight.

In the middle of it sleeps the god this pyramid was built for.

Jojo wants to believe it's only a statue. It is monumental and threatening, but if it's formed out of stone what can it hurt him?

The pillar rises high, and the figure of the powerful man embedded in it looks more like a sleeping being than an artificial figurine made by humans. All around him stone masks, six of them, sprout out from column, as if he's growing them from the rocks of earth itself.

"Who are you? _What_ are you?" Jojo asks. His voice echoes in the spacious room and fades away without any answer coming forth.

He takes his time, inspecting the hall, the ornaments, the walls. He is delaying, which he shouldn't do, but he -needs to gather his resolve to start his inspection on this pillar-man. He reasons with himself: it might be useful for him to know his surroundings. Just in case.

Taking a deep breath - to fortify himself just as well to feel the flow of Hamon, he goes up to the column. He touches one of the stone masks and finds that just pulling on it a little will make it part from the pillar, like he's plucking a ripe fruit from a tree. This sleeping man is growing these masks, he thinks. He can't begin to imagine what this creature is, but he knows without doubt he's dangerous. He produces the masks that can turn humans into vampires. What his goal is with this, if indeed he has any, Jojo can't tell.

Carefully, he touches the arm of the creature. It's smooth and cold - but not as cold as the stone around him. On a whim, he presses his fingers against his neck. He closes his eyes in despair when his suspicion is proven right.

There is a pulse. It's slow, faint, but still clearly recognisable.

Dio's weakness is the sun and Hamon. He can only hope that the sleeping creature will share this weakness of vampires and zombies, because all signs point at him being responsible for the stone mask and all that was committed with it. No, not The stone mask. Only one of the stone masks, apparently.

He has to destroy this being. He feels a twinge of regret - twisted as this existence seems to him, does he have the right to decide to end it? But it feels more than dangerous. Even sleeping as it does now, he can feel an inhuman power and resolve radiating from it.

He starts with plucking all the stone masks down from the pillar. He will smash them first and then deal with their creator.

He's crushed three of the six, when a noise from behind alerts him to the mistake he made. He manages to half turn only before he is overbalanced by the body crashing into him. They tumble to the ground, the force of the sudden attack pushing air momentarily out from his lungs. Jojo can grab the hands reaching for his throat in the last moment to keep them away from his artery. Amber eyes glare at him from under arched eyebrows, as his attacker struggles to overpower him, baring fangs in a half snarl, half grin as he breaths his weird _wryyy_ at him, sounding triumphant. In the frightful excitement of his discovery, he's all but forgotten about Dio, who apparently caught up with him and now does his best to stop him destroying the masks.

12 */*/*

Two things become clear when he finds the entrance to the pyramid and descends the stairs. One, Jojo has discovered something important and two, he is still a spoiled, rich brat, who thinks money grows on the trees. He takes the jewels from the withered, old corpse lying on the altar. How could Jonathan so carelessly left these behind, he wonders, wrapping them up and sinking them into his pockets, before following the slope leading into the heart of the ruin.

Although he can see very well in the dark, it still takes him long moments until his mind processes the whole view of the hall. Courtesy of the Joestars, Dio visited many grand manors and even palaces, but the enormous proportion of this place puts all of them to shame. Jojo is already there, busy with something he can't make out at first - but when he realizes what he is doing, he charges at him without a second thought.

It must be luck smiling on him, to find more stone masks, and he can't let Jonathan idiotically destroy them.

He takes the Joestar by surprise, manages to push him over to the ground and get on top of him. He doesn't have a plan other than to get him immobile for the moment. He will figure out what he wants to do with him later. Kill him, make him his servant, recreate him as a vampire? He doesn't really know yet. All possibilities have their own allure. But first, he'll get the masks.

"Stop this madness, Dio!" Jojo gasps at him as they struggle. He manages to keep his hands off from him, so the vampire can't take his blood or freeze his body. "Haven't you seen what is over there? We can't allow to fight right now."

"What a silly little attempt to distract me, Jojo," he sneers. Honestly, this man is ridiculously strong, he always has been. He shouldn't be able to keep him at bay with simple physical strength, yet he does. "But you were never too smart, were you? Still, I have to congratulate you for finding this place - and these useful tools to help me grow my powers further. Now, just stay still..."

Jonathan gathers that damned Hamon in his hand, and Dio has to jerk back when he swings his fist at him. He realizes a second too late that he was deceived - the angle is off for Jojo to smash his face like that. Jonathan uses the movement to roll him over, and to hold him down. His vision goes dark for a moment as his head hits the ground. When he opens his eyes, Jonathan is glaring down at him, with fire of anger blazing in his blue eyes, but not pressing his advantage. Behind his back towers the centre pillar of the hall.

There is a man-like figure embedded in the massive column. For a human, it might seem to be carved out of stone, but for Dio's vampire eyes it looks much more. He senses it is a living thing - now that his focus is on it, he can _hear_ its low pulse, _feel_ its body heat, colder than a human's but still clearly warmer than its surroundings. He is grasped by the fear that it can move if it wishes to, can come to life any moment. It's not human, not a zombie, not a vampire, not a statue, but then…

"What the hell is that?"

Now that he sees what Jojo wanted to show him, the Joestar apparently considers their fight to be over. He lets Dio go, standing up and holding out his hand to him. He doesn't accept it, getting to his feet on his own. Jojo changes the movement of his hand, making a gesture towards the column.

"This is what I tried to tell you, but you weren't listening. This _thing_ is making the stone masks," walking up to it, he actually turns his back to Dio. The vampire can't believe he's this naive. Still, he delays and doesn't attack him just yet. He's not even sure why, probably because of the ominous feeling the strange creature sleeping in the pillar awoke in him.

He follows Jojo with caution, to examine this strange being. He looks like a tall, muscular man, except for the two small horns sprouting from the top of his forehead.

"It is living," Jojo says next to him, as if Dio doesn't know that. "It even has a pulse." The vampire raises his hand touch it, but stops an inch from the stone-like skin. He feels being pulled towards it, as if it wants to suck him in. Fear runs up his spine. This _thing_ can grab him, consume him, it can open its eyes any moment and move down from the pillar to take him. He is in danger. Just as he considers humans lowly beings and feels no remorse preying on them, this creature must feel the same about vampires. Jojo could move around it in relative safety as, despite his power, he is still only human. But it will come to _eat_ Dio. He spins back to Jonathan, heaving with cold fright.

"Destroy it. Your Hamon should be able to break through it. Do it, Jojo!"

"That's what I wanted to do, Dio. But the masks first…"

"Forget the masks.," he growls. "Just kill this… thing."

"Dio…"

The vampire takes a sidestep to stand between the masks and Jonathan. They both agree that the creature sleeping in the pillar must be destroyed, and he needs Jojo to do that. But he never imagined there could be other stone masks - and here is not one, but three, even though the Joestar crushed quite a few of them already. Dio has to save at least one.

He takes a step forward. He can see the determination in the other's eyes. He knows that look well. _I'll feel no guilt in killing you,_ he had said back in his mansion and he proved unstoppable. Even if he apparently did feel guilt, after all.

Dio doesn't need to defeat him right now. He just has to claim one of the masks and convince - or force him, if that's what it takes - to use his Hamon on the ancient creature that means such danger for him.

For an endless minute, they stand motionless. Dio breaks eye contact first, using his inhuman speed to dash towards his stone treasures. He is caught just before he reaches them, but he is expecting that.

He has always been partial to knives - they were always his choice of weapon right after good, old-fashioned poisoning, and he always has one on his person. Flickering torchlight makes the blade flash in his hand as Jojo lifts him off the ground, holding him at the waist. He sinks it deep into this strong fool's arm, not aiming to cut anything vital, just wanting to make him release him automatically. But the Joestar doesn't, he keeps holding him tightly despite the pain.

"You stubborn idiot," Dio hisses. He yanks the knife free from Jojo's flesh and muscles, and twists his body to the side until Jojo has no choice but to drop him if he wants to avoid both of them tumbling to the ground. Still, the dark-haired man follows the movement, trying to hold him down and twist the knife from his grip.

They struggle and little by little Jonathan manages to turn the blade away from himself and back against Dio. It shouldn't be possible - he is only human, but Dio knows first-hand the insane might he can call forth. His new body is not yet truly familiar, and he didn't feed for days, since they started to climb up to this mountain. He could freeze Jonathan, but just as the other doesn't use his Hamon, he doesn't use his vampiric powers either. They are not fighting for their lives, only for dominance.

He catches the blade with his free hand, uncaring of how it sinks into his palm and using Jojo's surprise to his advantage, tears the weapon out of his grip. The knife goes flying, hitting the column, splattering the man sleeping in it with both their bloods as it drops down to the ground.

There's a faint, but unmistakable tremor coming from the creature. The blood disappears as if it was sucked inside. For an endless moment, nothing happens - then it moves.

They both stare horror stricken as the pillar-man tears himself down from his resting place and puts his feet on the ground. His skin changes from stone-like to living in colour and texture, making him look almost human. If it wasn't for the horns, his hair that takes a shocking shade of vermillion, and the never-felt-before power radiating from him, he'd pass for some barbarian warrior from a book, with his tattoos on his face, long, wild mane, his massive body covered only in a single loincloth. He stretches his bulging muscles and looks around in the hall. His glance falls on Jojo, seizing him up and dismissing him, before moving to Dio.

"Quickly, attack it before it wakes up completely," the vampire hisses at the Joestar, stepping behind his back. When his nemesis doesn't move immediately, he gives him a shove. "What are you waiting for, you bloody oaf?"

"Don't insult me, when you're just pushing me forward to fight," Jonathan murmurs. He sounds more amused than annoyed. Dio's reply is cut short by the pillar man.

"Why you hide… little thing?" he speaks slowly, stopping between the words as if searching for them. "Offer yourself...to your...creator."

He comes towards them slowly. Jonatan steps forward and holds his hand out.

"Please, stop there," he says gently. The creature ignores him of course. He doesn't seem bothered by him standing in the way - rather he looks like as if he wants to walk _through_ him.

Yet, he stops when he bumps into Jojo's outstretched hand. His glance - so far focused on Dio - now moves to Jonathan. The vampire feels even from two steps back the power of Sun - Jojo focused Hamon into his palm and fingers.

So, they were right. The Ripple is capable of stopping him.

"That tribe… of the Hamon… still exists?" the pillar-man muses to himself.

"You know of the Hamon? Than you also must know that it can destroy creatures of the night like you. Step back and…"

The ancient man raises his calm glance to Jojo's face, studying him at leisure. His movements and speak have been so far slow, almost uncertain, but when he attacks, he does it at the speed of lightning.

Jonathan matches his pace, and blocks the muscular leg that tries to kick him on the kidney. With that, the fight is on.

13 */*/*

Jojo forces his breathing to remain deep and even. He is getting tired but he can't afford to heave for air. He only stands a chance as long as he can direct Hamon.

They are fighting for what feels like hours. The pillar man's attention shifted from Dio to him after he realized he can control the Ripple, and he seems determined to get him out of his way first. Jojo has to shield his whole body with Hamon, making it impossible for the vampire to come to his help. He can't be sure if Dio has any intention to aid him of course - but at least he didn't flee, despite the danger the awoken, ancient creature means to him. The Ripple seems his only weakness - if Jojo can keep it flowing, he is safe, but his opponent uses dirty tricks.

The Joestar quickly learned how his challenger has not just inhuman speed and physical power, but also cunning and no hesitance to use dirty tricks. What's worse, he can manipulate his body in a way no mortal would be able to. Jojo saw him jump up high to the ceiling, flattening his body so thin as if he had no bones at all, creeping between the stones and aiming to collapse them on his head. He can also melt into the cracks on the walls to avoid blows when Jojo forces him into a corner.

Though the other can't touch him directly, Jojo is already bleeding and bruised. The only time he felt so tired was after defeating Dio, and this fight is far from over.

The vampire's warning shout alerts him, so he is just barely able to jump to the side from another shower of heavy, sharp rocks. But the pillar man is on him too, kicking him hard in the stomach despite the Hamon armor he keeps about his body. He sees the creature's bare sole smoking as the energy damages his feet, dissolving his leg almost up to his knee. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the time to be happy about it, as the kick sends him flying against the wall, his back and head knocking against the rock with brutal force. Air is forced out from his lungs for a moment, and that is enough for his opponent.

Despite his missing leg, the creature is on him the instant his Hamon barrier disappears with all his breath leaving his chest. Crimson eyes intent on his face, he grabs Jojo's neck and sinks his fingers inside the human's flesh just above his collar bone. He doesn't tear flesh and muscles, rather they liquefy under and absorbed into his touch. It is more frightening than painful - the ancient creature progresses so quickly, he will reach his heart in a second and then it's all over…

Dio crashes into the pillar-man with his strange battle shout of _wryyy,_ knocking him off from Jojo. The Joestar takes his chance, despite the pain quickly catching up with him as the deep wound opens up on his neck, splattering blood everywhere. He has no time to waste. Getting his breath back, he strikes down. The creature twists away in that rubbery way of his, but Jonathan still manages to burn a large whole though his side, dissolving his flesh. Making a shout of agony, the first sign he feels any kind of pain, the pillar man starts to melt through the wall, trying to get away. But that is a mistake.

They have been moving around the place as they fought, and the wall he's seeping into is separating the hall from the wilderness outside. It has some holes, little cracks hardly visible to the eye, what the pillar-man also plans to use as a route to escape. Patches of dark moss grows in them. And where is moss, so is water.

Jojo gathers his power in his fist and hits the wall with all his might. The damp rocks, the wet little rifts conduct Hamon very well. Tremor runs through the stone as a larger crack appears, growing slowly at first than expanding explosively before it crumbles outwards. Humid air sweeps in from outside, refreshing after all the stale breaths he could take so far. Through the hole large enough for Jojo to step through without pulling his head down, he can see the sky outside. There is a thin ribbon of gold on the bottom of the dark horizon. It's almost dawn. A whole night has passed since he entered the pyramid.

He keeps his ward up as he steps outside. His opponent is nowhere to be seen. A bird starts to sing tentatively, breaking the silence. The green grass is wet with dew on the small clearing, and the air is heavy with the scent of some exotic flower. The scenery is so idyllic as if he just imagined the life and death fight he battled just moments ago. Dio is right on his heels as he ventures further outside and looks around.

"Where is he?" he whispers.

"Hiding in the cracks of the rocks I think. I wounded him, I hope severely."

"Can you bring this whole place down, Jojo? So, there will be no hiding places for him left."

"I don't think I can. I can break a few more holes through the wall, but he can be anywhere…You saw how fast and nimble he is"

He lays his palm on the stone, trying to _feel_ where to look for the pillar-man. Dio appears to be doing the same. Jonathan allows himself a tired smile. It is so strange, working together with him. Maybe this is why he felt the need to keep him alive. To discover this ancient creature and to destroy him with the aid of Dio…

He notices the pillar-man as he emerges from the rocks just above the vampire only as his attention is focused on the blond. Their opponent is not making any sound, he is silent as a shadow. Jojo shouts out a warning as he dashes towards them, but the ancient creature is faster. He grabs Dio and _jumps,_ getting them as far as the end of the clearing in a single motion.

Jojo rushes after them. He had seen - and felt it on his own skin - how Dio drains blood from humans to build his own strength. What the pillar-man is capable doing however is on a whole different level. He only knows from that brief but terrifying experience, when he reached inside of Jojo in the matter of a heartbeat, but it was enough for him to get the notion: the pillar man could consume him down to his cells, suck out not just his blood, but all his flesh, bones, muscles and fluids. If Dio didn't save him from being eaten like that, he wouldn't have left more from Jojo than an empty shell of skin. For a creature like him, a vampire is probably a much worthy meal than a human - quite probably that is the very reason why he created the stone masks. To make sure there will be proper victuals to feed himself with.

Luckily, Dio is not keen on the idea of just letting himself be eaten. Darkness is fading, and in the dim light Jojo can see how he freezes the pillar-man's body with his power, the ice preventing the creature of sucking him in through his skin.

Everything is happening so fast. Jonathan is just a few steps away, yet he is gripped by the fear he won't be able to reach them in time. He prays for Dio to have enough strength and not be overpowered, that he can count on his crazy persistence to stay alive. Despite the numerous times they have clashed, the vows he made to defeat his adopted brother, the claim that he wants to get the world rid of him, he still can't stand the thought of him dying like this.

Dio might not be the most courageous person on earth, but he knows how to fight for his life and doesn't let himself be easily defeated. The ancient creature is physically stronger than him, but keeping him frozen when he touches him seems to buy him enough time. It doesn't look as if any permanent damage is done to the pillar-man however - even the large hole caused by Jojo's Hamon is closing up, his leg is growing back right before his eyes.

But it doesn't matter - he will finish him takes what it takes. When Jonathan finally reaches them, he decides to take a risk - he doesn't channel his Ripple as he grabs the pillar-man, embracing him close, pulling him away from Dio. His opponent - probably on instinct, as if he thought it through, he would realize his mistake - drags him in, trying to start to consume him. This is all Jojo needs. Hamon runs through his arms. There is a moment of resistance from the ancient being - then his body explodes, his flesh mostly evaporating from the power of Ripple, the rest flying in all direction in smaller and larger pieces.

The sun chooses this disgusting and dramatic moment to peek through the horizon. Dio jumps to his feet, racing back to the safety of the dark ruin.

Jojo follows him, on a slower pace. He feels out of breath and tired enough to fall face first to the ground. If he does, he won't be able to move for hours for sure. He just wishes to sleep and to finally allow some rest for his overstrained muscles.

Considering he spent months with Dio's living head, it is almost funny how he still didn't learn his lesson about creatures of the night. The largest remaining piece of the pillar-man - his head, the stump of chest ending just under a single arm - grabs his leg, making him trip and fall. Faster than he can build up his Hamon again, so quick he can't even feel the appropriate horror over what is happening, the remnant of the creature starts to crawl up inside his body. He can feel him as he starts to move upwards in his leg, rapidly disappearing into his very flesh and bones.

Then Dio is next to him, inexplicably ignoring the danger of the quickly spreading sunlight that almost reaches them by now. He grabs the bit of the bizarre _thing_ that is not yet inside Jojo, and _tears_ it out from him. Despite the searing pain in his calf, Jonathan jumps to his feet, takes the disgusting creature from the other's hand and throws it with all his might, out into the sun. He stays only long enough to see it turn burnt and black like coal. Then he chases after Dio, grabs him under the arm when he catches up with him, and practically drags him back into the ruin through the crack in the wall.

In the safe, dark hall all his strength leaves him and he collapses, burying the smaller man under himself. Dio must be equally exhausted as he doesn't even protest. After a minute or ten, or an hour, he can't tell, he turns to his back and starts to laugh. Dio sighs and mutters, before pushing himself up on his elbow to look into his face.

"What is it, Jojo?"

"All those rugby training - they have really payed off, don't you think? Coach would be crying in joy seeing this pass and run. And our teamwork has never been better…"

Dio rolls his eyes. He opens his mouth, probably to make a scratching comment, but changes his mind. He grabs the front of Jonathan's dirty, bloody, torn shirt and kisses him.

Completely taken unaware, Jojo just lies there, trying to make sense of what is happening as the vampire's cold lips move against his. After the unnerving, one sided kiss, he cuddles close to Jojo, lying his head on his chest as if his action doesn't need any explaining to be done.

"Uhm, Dio…" Jonathan starts tentatively.

"Shut up, you idiot," the blond cuts him off, which is for the better, as he has no idea what to say. He raises his arm and tentatively embraces Dio. No protest comes, so he relaxes. Probably they both just need reassurance that they survived this encounter. Keeping the other man in his arms if proof that they are still alive. Even if alive is a relative term in Dio's case. For the first time they entered the ruins, Jojo remembers the body he is holding used to belong to Straizo not long ago. He closes his eyes, but even this thought is not enough to let the other go. This is Dio now.

His mind decides that this last drop of absurdity can really wait for him to try to make sense of, and shuts down. Jojo falls into a deep, dreamless sleep.

TBC...


	4. Chapter 4

14 */*/*

Dio always liked to sleep in. It was a luxury the poor could never afford, so he associated his habit with wealth. Especially after nights he consumed too much alcohol, he loved to wake at noon, knowing nobody would have a bad word about it. As a vampire, he no longer needs sleep like humans do, but he can still sink into a torpor during daytimes that helps him to regenerate even without consuming blood. It's sometimes voluntary - he can _choose to_ stay awake most of the time, but on some occasions it just takes him over, like sleep does with exhausted mortals. When he has a lot of healing to do - as it was after he took Straizo's body and now, after the fight with this cursed man of the pillar, he loses awareness of his surroundings. It doesn't give him the pleasant, lazy feeling that waking from deep sleep used to. He loses consciousness, becoming unaware of what is happening around him for the time being. He hates it, as it makes him vulnerable.

Jojo either suspects his condition, or he is simply lucky. It doesn't really matter why, but he manages to crawl out from under him at one point of the day and _destroys the remaining stone masks_ without him waking.

Dio stares down at the pile of dust with a sour expression.

"This is for the best," Jojo tries to convince him of his highly subjective opinion. "You have seen how the pillar-man only created the masks to feed on humans who have used them. I think this is what this place was built for too. This creature was probably a divine being to the people who used to habitat this area. Have you seen all those cravings in the stone on the way down here? I think some priests used the stone masks on the chosen victims, and then their "god" fed on them. What a twisted existence, isn't it? And we can only hope there are no other creatures like him, sleeping somewhere, protected by ancient stone…"

He trails off when Dio just shrugs, prodding the grey pile of dirt and pebbles with the toe of his boot. At a different time, he may find Jojo's ramblings interesting, but right now he is only disappointed. He had grand plans with those masks. He wanted to use them on Jonathan.

He takes his time for sulking, until it becomes evident he can't make Jojo apologize for what he did. He misses the good old times, when he could still manipulate the Joestar.

"Did this pillar-man also turn into dust?" he asks at long last.

"Not entirely, no. Do you want to see what remained of him?" Jojo makes a vague gesture towards the dark clearing. Dio nods, and follows him outside.

Jonathan's Hamon destroyed most of the creature. But just as Dio managed, with beheading himself, to avoid being completely destroyed, it also partially survived. A head, an arm, part of the torso - the piece that has tried to crawl up into Jonathan doesn't look human at all any longer. It appears to be part of the ruins rather, like a very ancient piece of stone, a bit of a broken statue. It is charred and deformed, yet…

"Is it still alive?"

"I'm not sure," Jojo says, crouching down next to it in the flickering light of his torch. "I don't feel any threatening presence coming from it any longer, but… I don't think it is completely destroyed. I tried to break it apart, but if it still has some life, it is shielding itself from Hamon just as well as the Sun."

Dio touches the remnants carefully. He is immediately sure that the creature is not yet destroyed - he can feel it pulling him inside, even though it doesn't have the irresistible force it used to have any longer. Given time - thousands of years maybe, but this thing definitely doesn't need to concern itself with even millenniums passing - it would recover. Although Dio has casted away his own humanity, this persistent existence frightens him. This pillar-man is more than he can ever become. He is a being that was born immortal, he was never human, he never had to fear age and death.

"Let's try what worked previously as well. My frost and your Ripple," Dio suggests quietly, not taking his eyes off the creature. He is startled when Jojo puts his heavy, warm hand gently on his shoulder. He looks at him quizzically and the Joestar smiles at him, nodding in encouragement and Dio finds himself smiling back without thinking.

He kneels down, to focus his vampiric powers into it the stone-like remnants, and keeps channeling it until he can be sure not only the hardened skin becomes chilly with frost, but that the cold entered into the deepest part of it too. He jumps back and with him out of the way, Jojo smashes down his fist, Hamon blazing around his skin.

Cracks appear on the creature's dark surface. They become wider and wider until their network takes over the whole thing. Expecting an explosion, Dio is almost disappointed when it quietly collapses into pebbles and dust. He kicks it apart with his feet, watching as the gentle breeze carries the microscopic pieces away.

"Good job," he pats Jojo's thick arm, and the tall man smiles at him again, this time rather awkwardly. The vampire doesn't miss how those blue eyes flicker to his lips for a barest of moment before jumping away guiltily. He doesn't even try to hide his smirk. This trip to Mexico is proving to be interesting in more than one way.

Their travel back to the nearest village is a slow one. Jojo has quite a few lingering wounds from the battle - although Hamon apparently helps him to heal faster, he is heavily limping from the scar the pillar-man left on his leg. He also has a barely closed gash on his chest, and smaller cuts and bruises practically everywhere. They descend from the mountain together, during the nights. They talk a lot, but Jojo doesn't bring up any sensitive topics - the death of Straizo, Dio's feeding habits, stone masks - rather just muses about the pillar-man, where it could come from, what he read about ancient Aztec people and their once flowering culture, about the mountains and the jungle, the folks in Mexico. Dio rolls with it. Once they are back to civilization, this illusionary companionship is bound to disappear, but for the time being he is entertained by pretending it is real. They play that they came here to save the world in their free time, and now that they are done, they can just leave and be back at home by the time the afternoon tea is ready. Dio finds it ridiculous, but he doesn't feel like shattering this illusionary of peace just yet.

They find shelter before dawn break every day. On the journey up the hill, Dio often just buried himself deep underground to protect himself from the sunlight, but as Jonathan actually needs air to breath, that won't do on the way back. They have to search for caves or burrows and that delays them further, but Jojo doesn't seem to mind this idling either.

Dio mostly spends the daytime drowsing. Jojo also gets his rest, although deep sleep seems to avoid him - he jerks awake every time Dio so much as shifts to a more comfortable position. It would be difficult to blame him for being cautious around him. Yet it is irritating, so he figures out a nice way to keep him put.

On one morning, after they found their hiding place, he sits down so close to Jojo that their thighs touch. The Joestar was relaxing with his back against the cave wall, but with Dio invading his personal space so, he tenses up.

The vampire doesn't say world, pretending there's nothing to question in his action. He makes a show of yawning and stretching before he finally lays his head on the other's wide shoulders with a satisfied sigh. Jonathan is still for a long time, and Dio holds his breath, waiting for Jojo to make his move. He seems uncomfortable, yet he doesn't protest or try to pull away. After a while his pose loosens, his breath becoming deep and slow. When his head lolls to the side, resting against Dio's hair, the vampire feels victorious.

Next day Dio goes further. After Jonathan found his comfortable position, he lays down next to him, resting his head against one muscled thigh. He hopes that the big oaf will be too baffled to say or do anything, but after a few minutes he feels thick, calloused, warm fingers pulling his hair out from his face with surprising gentleness.

"Dio, what are you doing?" Jojo whispers.

"Getting my much-deserved rest," he replies with a straight face. "What does it look like for you?"

"When I start to think that I understand you," Jonathan muses, "you prove to me how wrong I am." He moves those delightful fingers in a way Dio can easily take as a caress. With a content sigh, the vampire shifts to his side, trying to hide his smirk.

"I would do a very poor job, if you could understand me so easily," he mumbles.

There's no reply from Jojo, but when he glances up at his face, he can see him smiling with his eyes closed.

The following night they reach the village. Dio hides for the day while Jojo goes to arrange their transportation, buys new clothes and takes a very needed bath.

Their travel becomes a lot faster after that, but unfortunately it also becomes free of body contact.

As Dio lies in his uncomfortable, hard, narrow, but light-proof crate, lurching first on a horse carriage and later, on the train that takes them back to America, he has nothing else to occupy himself with but to think about the unavoidable question - what to do with Jojo?

Although he is fairly satisfied with his new body, his plan to take Jonathan's is still tempting. Straizo's is similar in height and build as his own was, but he can't shake the notion he would only feel really complete if he claimed Jojo's body. He is convinced that is what their destinies are leading them for.

On the other hand… Jonathan's body is quite tempting with his head remaining at its place as well. Dio found him quite attractive ever since their adolescence, but he never thought that attraction was more than an additional inconvenience, one more reason to get rid of Jojo. He didn't need any distractions in achieving his goals, to get the Joestar fortune, to live the comfortable, wealthy life he had all rights to live.

However, those goals have changed after he discarded his humanity. He wanted to make Jojo his servant, he wanted to kill him, take his revenge.

It is maybe natural for his plans concerning Jojo to evolve again. The more he thinks about it, the more alluring the idea becomes to take him as a lover. He can shift back to his original plan of eliminating him after he had his fun, after all. That's a comforting thought, even if deep down he knows he will never get back to that stage.

The question for now is how open Jojo will be for the idea of them becoming lovers? As far as Dio knows, the man is still a virgin. He's never given cause for suspicion of him having any kind of affair - not even with women, although he had to know there were enough volunteers. Not even with a maid, who would have never dared to say no. The devil knows, maybe he feels no desire at all, or represses them on the foolish notion of them being ungentlemanly.

He also can't ignore that he doesn't know what Jojo plans with him. He surely doesn't want to let him roam free - but Dio has no intention of letting himself be locked up again. This trip in this cursed _box_ is bad enough.

He must make best of the silly sense of responsibility Jojo apparently feels for him. He needs to wrap him around his fingers. He needs to make him trust him - which will be the most problematic. Jojo, despite his naivety, knows him better than anyone ever did. Lucky thing that he has no doubts about his own ability to be charming.

15 */*/*

Back in New York, a letter from Erina, and two from Speedwagon awaits Jojo at the postal office. The joy of receiving them makes him forget his anxiety over Dio for a while, and he excitedly reads through them.

He misses them. As a child, he never knew how to make friends. If he met with boys of his social status, they just seemed so cold and distant to him, all proper manners in front of the adults, and cruel rivalry when they were among themselves. With the local kids, he couldn't get along any better either. He poured all his love on Danny and later, on Erina. He cherished the memory of those two friendships, the bright moments of his childhood.

He lost Danny for good, but he got Erina back, at least to a degree, and he is so happy to read her neat lines. She tells him of her life, the books she read recently, the last play she saw in theatre, about how glad he is for Robert to keep him company. Jojo muses over the use of Speedwagon's first name, but decides he hardly has any business questioning it. He wishes he could be more honest with her - but he is determined not to endanger her or involve her by any means in his business concerning Dio. It saddens him that probably they could never really be close again, because he does care for her, and he thinks she cares for him too.

Speedwagon's letters are messy, full of crossed out Mr. Joestars corrected to Jojos. They make him smile. As expected, his friend is absolutely shocked by Straizo's death, very concerned about his trip to Mexico, what he might find there and what Dio may do to him. Jonathan gets pen and paper to tell him how the journey went, their discovery of the pillar-man and that he is keeping Dio under control, so there's no need to worry about him.

He wishes the last was actually true.

They arrived back to the city last night, and they marked the occasion with having a huge row. He gave an ultimatum to Dio, telling him he can only let him go free if he controls his urge to kill. Because, he said, trying to be reasonable, he knows what Dio committed in the past, but he is willing to assume he can change. If Dio can't promise him that he won't hurt anyone, he needs to keep him locked. And if he actually commits murder again, Jojo has no other choice but to destroy him, as he destroyed the pillar-man.

It went as well as Jojo could realistically expect it to go well. The only reason the argument didn't end in bloodshed was that Dio disappeared through the window before he could grab him.

He doesn't tell Speedwagon about that in his letter though. There is really no need to concern him, so he just scribbles down cheerful little half-truths and feels terrible about it.

He walks the streets aimlessly after he finishes at the post office. New York is just as hostile and alien to him as London was. Huge buildings, even huger crowds, grime and constant noise. He tried to convince Dio to move to the countryside, but he took that as an offence too, calling Jojo a hopeless, boring country boy. Does he really enjoy this place, or does he only want to stay as it provides him with an unlimited territory to hunt his preys and make Jojo's job of locating and stopping him close to impossible?

Is he ready to destroy Dio if it comes to it, he wonders. He should be. It looks like this is how far they can get: sharing a short adventure as companions before going back to being fated enemies. He is probably the only one who can stop Dio from committing further evil deeds, and he is a horrible person for hesitating to do what he needs to.

Yet, despite vowing his down-to-earth resolutions on how he won't hesitate to clash with and win over Dio again, he can't find any inner peace. Sleep avoids him, so he stays up at night, trying to immerse in a book while he really only waits for the other man to show up.

It is over midnight when he feels Dio's presence, and he doesn't think twice about rushing to window and opening it wide. The vampire steps in as normal people would enter through a door, not bothering with any by-your-leaves.

"We need to settle some rules," he says as a greeting, leaning against the window frame with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"I agree," Jojo nods, trying to mask his relief over the visit.

"So... here's my offer - you stop your sniffing after my business, and I won't hurt you. After our little trip to Mexico, we can say we are even on all accounts."

"Dio…" Jonathan sighs, sitting down on the edge of the bed, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly. He feels ridiculous for his high hopes, expecting his adoptive brother to give up his ways of evil.

"Then what do you want, Jojo?" the blond snaps.

"Promise me that you won't create any zombies and other… _things_ of the night."

"I had my castle and army… they didn't prove to be useful or even particularly entertaining."

"What kind of an answer is that?!" his patience reaching its end, Jojo jumps to his feet and strides up to Dio. The shorter man pulls himself straight, but the Joestar still has an inch or two on him. Straizo was about the same built as the vampire, but somewhat shorter, so he towers more over Dio now than he used to. The remainder of the Hamon-user's fate is just oil to the fire of his anger. Why is he liaising with such a creature still, after all that he committed? He slams his fist against the wall next to the blond's head. Those yellowish eyes narrow, staring at him. Jojo can't read the emotions in them. "Promise me, Dio. Let me believe your world means anything at all, and promise me. Promise me!"

"I don't need to give you any kind of promises, _Jojo!"_ he can spit his nickname like no one else ever did, full of contempt, spite, taunting.

"Yes, you do, _Dio,"_ he grabs the front of the other's shirt and lifts him off, until his feet no longer touch the ground. This happened before, he thinks. When he accused him to be poisoning his father. He was proven right then, yet Dio managed to soften him again and again. Just as it happened back in the mansion on that night, Dio can't mask his flicker of uncertainty and surprise fast enough now either. "Because if you don't, I'll kill you _again,_ and make sure there's no way back for you this time. You'll promise me that you stop playing a dark god, creating twisted life and expecting adoration. You'll also promise you'll stop killing people, for your amusement, or to fulfill your lust for blood. And the lord help me Dio, if you don't keep yourself to your promise, there will be no more mercy for you."

He lets him go, but doesn't step back. He takes no joy or amusement in seeing Dio's face twist with his internal struggle. He just wants to hear him speak those words.

"Jojo, you…"

"Promise, Dio, and make sure I believe it."

There is a moment where he thinks the vampire may cry and he can only hope he won't. Even if he knows tears are only a tool for the blond, he is helpless against them. Dio used his crocodile tears to throw him off balance more than once. He could make him feel guilty, make him believe in Dio's innocence despite all the signs pointing otherwise. And at least twice, drawing a knife followed those tears, as if the blond wanted to eliminate him for seeing his weakness. Maybe those times the tears were indeed real.

"And if I do, Jojo, what will happen?" he asks on a quiet voice. "I am what I am. I'm no longer human, on my own choice. If I don't consume blood, I'll suffer. I can get on by without only for so long. If I'm injured, my body won't heal itself on its own. If I'm hungry, should I starve?"

"I'll help you!" Jonathan exclaims. "Maybe we can even find another way for you to live. And if we find no solution… you can feed on my blood, rather than killing strangers."

"How very generous of you," Dio smirks. He raises his hand, placing cold fingers on his neck. It's a threat, Jojo is not so stupid to misunderstand it. He grabs his wrist. He could crush his bones. He could melt through skin and flesh with his Hamon. He sees that Dio also understands this.

"So, what do you say? Will you work with me? Or will we become enemies again?"

"Do I have a choice?" he cocks his head to the side. His blond locks fall in front of his eyes. Jojo wants to smooth them out but resists the urge. This is not the right time to show any tenderness.

"We always have a choice."

"We can give it a try I guess, before you _try_ to kill me again."

Suddenly overcome with joy, Jojo hugs him. For a moment Dio is stiff in his arms with surprise, before he raises his arms around him as well. They stand like that just long enough for Jonathan to start to feel awkward.

He can't say why peace - or at least ceasefire - with Dio is so important to him. Right now, he only knows that holding Dio like this fills him with peace and he wouldn't mind never letting him go. Still, when the blond shifts, he immediately takes his arms off from around him, flushing with embarrassment. But the other man doesn't step back, just slides his hand up on his shoulder, neck, into his hair. He twists his fingers in his locks quite painfully, but before Jojo could object, he is pulling his head down and kissing him.

Forgetting any reservation for the moment, he kisses back.

That rather one-sided kiss in the ruins, those touches they shared on the journey back has been bothering him. He's never really known how to bring the topic up. He wasn't sure if he was just reading too much into the whole thing. Maybe Dio didn't mean anything by them and he'd seen horribly obtrusive with implying something intimate happened.

But he can no longer fool himself with that. This kiss is definitely not innocent and Dio definitely means something by it. Jojo has no experience in this matter, and no basis for comparison, but he can still tell this is not a chaste peck on the lips, that adopted brothers turned deadly enemies turned strange comrades happen to share in emotional moments.

Not to mention his own reactions to it are not innocent at all either. There is a tight ball of heat growing in his abdomen, booming out into his chest, cheeks, down to his groin. He wants to pick up Dio, carry him to the bed and… and…

He is probably red as a tomato in the face when he steps back, totally confused and embarrassed by his own desires. Dio, on the other hand, appears cool and collected. And irritatingly smug.

"Jojo," this time his nickname is a purr.

"Uhh, Dio... we need to talk about this as well…"

16 */*/*

"There's really no need to _talk_ any longer, Jojo."

"But _Dio…!"_

Not interested in the end of that sentence - and it doesn't appear as if Jonathan knows what he wants to say anyway - Dio closes that unnecessary step of space between them, until they are chest by chest, the heat from Jojo's body warming up him too.

He is very pleased with how those blue eyes fix on his lips. He licks them, just for show. Jojo gulps.

When he ended up in front of the inn earlier tonight, he had no idea what he wanted to do. His feet just carried him here, and when Jojo opened the window to let him in, he climbed up without thinking through why he's doing it. He definitely had no intention of making silly promises he didn't really want to keep, or even bother with pretend to keep them. He disliked to do anything without a gain, so these impulsive reactions were frightening. But the longing to take one last look at Jojo as his comrade, as a friend even, before going back to their usual hostile ways, before accepting him as his archenemy again, was irresistible.

Jonathan, simple as he plays to be, can surprise him and make him act ways he never entertained acting. He can even make Dio accept some sacrifices to be able to remain on good terms. It is only fair payback to see him so unnerved now, unsure in this situation which is obviously so new to him.

It is just time to see if this new body can give and feel pleasure as well as the old could, Dio thinks. It is certainly warming up with the closeness of the other man.

He kisses Jojo again, softly first, then more demanding, until it becomes all tongue and teeth. Strong arms raise up around him again, pulling him close. Standing here in his embrace, lips on lips is arousing enough, but it's not enough. Dio wants more and he will have it.

He pushes on Jojo's shoulders, until he gets his message and moves back towards the bed. When they reach it, he gives a harder shove, signaling that he should sit down. After just the slightest hesitation, Jonathan does so, and Dio straddles his thighs in a smooth motion, not giving him time to protest.

"Uhm, Dio… What are we doing?" Jojo's voice is hoarse with arousal, and that excites the vampire just as much as their closeness. Such a stupid question, though. He pulls back slightly, blinking down at the dark-haired idiot.

"Surely you have some idea at least?"

"No, I'm…. I mean of course I… that's not what I meant! This is - we shouldn't be doing something like this. _Why_ are we doing this?"

There are many answers to that. They are doing _this_ because Dio has wanted to do this, and much more, ever since Jojo's rugby attire has started to look ridiculously smug on his chest and thighs. Because they should have done _this_ years ago. If he seduced Jojo in their adolescence, he could have made sure to have him wrapped around his fingers, making their teenage years so much easier and pleasurable. Because Jojo is, has always been, annoyingly resistant to his charms and maybe exactly because of that, Dio has wanted to have his undivided attention more than anyone else's. Because now that he finally has it, he won't let it go, ever. He will make sure that Jojo is his and only his. He wants to _consume_ Jojo. He wants Jojo to drag him in and keep him inside that frightening heat of love that Dio doesn't understand at all, but still yearns for it. They are doing this as it is what they are destined to do, what their fates, their blood, their bodies and hearts tell them to do.

"We are two halves of one," he whispers on a quiet voice he hardly recognizes as his own. "Our destiny is so intertwined - why _this_ should be an exception?"

He frowns at his own words. This is only one aspect of the insanely complex reasons why he wants to touch Jojo's naked skin, wants to hold him in his arms, wants to kiss him, have sex with him. However, it is the most important reason. The truth, some might call it, and that is rather unnerving. He never needed truthful confessions to simply fuck.

His words make Jojo smile softy. Isn't it typical that something that unnerves one of them will make the other comfortable? Yet, he is not as bothered as he should be and he doesn't have the time to mull over it either.

This time it is Jonathan who kisses him. Dio leans against him, and the Joestar lies back,

until they both end up sprawled on the bed. They still have their clothes and shoes on, but Dio doesn't want to risk Jojo changing his mind with giving him time to think.

It's messy, as if they are two randy teenagers going at it, quickly in secret, before they are found out at doing something so sinful. Dio wouldn't mind showing his skills off more - surely it wouldn't take much to impress Jojo - but he is hold so close, and he's not inclined to move out from the warm and secure place he ended up at, back against the wall and front against Jonathan's board chest, as if he is protecting him from the world outside the bed.

It's all kisses and caresses, and Dio manages to be rid of his shoes only, kicking them off his feet. He tries to get at least Jonathan out of his clothes, but that's not an easy task, given how many annoying layers the man wears. Coat, vest, shirt, undershirt… he must be getting quite warm, if the redness spreading on his face and downwards his neck is any indication. Dio smirks, leaning in to lick the tender skin above his collarbone, feeling the Joestar's quickening pulse on his lips. Was it really just a few months ago, when he had his fingers on this artery, ready to make Jojo bleed, ready to turn him into a zombie, ready to kill him? It feels like a different lifetime. So much has happened since then. Maybe Jojo is right, and indeed, he is not immune to changes.

He doesn't want to hurt Jojo right now at all. No, he only things he wants is to hear him moan his name in pleasure, wants his eyes cloud up in lust, wants him to crave Dio's touch. With little patience, he peels some clothes off from him, the silly tie, annoying coat, inexplicably pink vest. Where he leads, Jojo follows, opening up buttons on Dio's shirt while the blond tears off his, mimicking his caresses, his kisses on a slower and gentler rate. His touch is far from confident or knowing, but he aims to please, and that is more than Dio can say about most of his past lovers.

When he reaches to untie his fly, Jojo blushes an even deeper shade of red, but doesn't try to stop him.

Seeing him in snug rugby attire and changing out of it after matches and practices has left Dio with some idea of what to expect. He wasn't aroused at those times, however. As Dio draws that hard cock out through his open fly and slit on his underpants, he can't help but be impressed by its side.

Jojo's blue eyes follow his movements, opened wide with wonder and embarrassment. His child-like, innocent expression is such a contrast with his masculine body and large, erect member that Dio almost starts to laugh.

They are not in the most comfortable position for this, lying on their sides, facing each other. Dio considers rolling Jojo on his back and climbing on top of him, to take proper control. The idea slips away however when the Joestar reaches to untie his trousers as well. He bits his lips as his fingers slide down on Dio's cock. The blond wants to open his head up to look inside and read what's going on in his mind. Are all those straight-laced disciplines George, that old geezer beat into him, fighting with the lust he feels? Is he trying to decide what is a more gentlemanly thing to do, stopping before things get too far or going through with it? Does he consider sinning an affordable price to keep Dio pacified, or is his desire too consuming to allow him to think straight? It doesn't matter he decides at last. He has Jojo where he wants to have him, and will keep him there. Everything else is irrelevant.

Dio closes his fingers more firmly around the base of that thick prick and starts to jerk Jojo off. Blue eyes flutter close and he utters soft moans when Dio rubs his thumb against the slit on the head. He does it again, just to hear that sound.

When Jonathan gets his senses back enough to reciprocate, Dio adjusts his hold and guides his hand to work on him as pleasing as it can get in their awkward position.

They could be doing more, a lot more than a messy handjob, like two schoolboys in the locker room. Still, Dio finds he doesn't mind just lying on his side this time, stroking Jojo's cock, and watching his reactions closely. When Jojo notices his intense gaze he shifts, burying his face in the crook of his neck. That is all right as well. He closes his eyes too and concentrates on giving and receiving pleasure only, listening to Jonathan's quiet moans.

Jojo makes small, probably unconscious thrusts against his hip, one hand on Dio's erection, the other on his back, keeping him close. That large hand feels warm and protective. He feels safe under it, and what a ridiculous notion that is considering what they are doing.

For a fleeting moment Dio regrets it's not his own body receiving this treatment, but he chases the thought away. For all intents and purposes, this is now _his_ body.

He combs his fingers through dark, thick hair, grabbing it none-too gently, as he starts to move against the other's palm more roughly. His lover does the same and soon Dio is throwing his leg over Jojo's thighs, driven by the simple urge to get closer, closer, as close as possible. They lose all finesse now, they are nothing but a writhing mass of bodies and limbs and pricks rubbing together, giving and taking pleasure, looking for their mutual satisfaction. Jonathan is sweating, his skin is hot and damp against Dio's coolness. He is panting, gasping his name, muscles flexing as he nears his peak.

It doesn't take him long to topple over the edge. Considering this is probably the first time he had another person's hand around his dick it's no surprise. He utters _Dio...oh, Dio,_ and the vampire feels his warm spunk hitting his stomach, messing up their rumpled, wet with Jojo's perspiration shirts and trousers even more.

What he is not expecting is that seeing Jonathan on the peak of his passion will trigger his own release too. He doubles over the palm on his cock, thrusts into the other's grip deeply once, twice... and is coming as well, orgasms shaking his body with unexpected force.

For a minute or two neither of them moves, until Jojo's breath and pulse starts to slow down towards normal and Dio's vision is no longer bright white.

Well… this was far under his normal performance, but it's not as if Jonathan has any basis for comparison. Dio risks a side glance at him, from under lowered lashes. He looks pretty happy, with a silly smile on his lips. Dio rolls onto his stomach and kisses them possessively. Jojo pulls him close, right into the sticky mess they left on their chests and abdomens, but he doesn't object.

Soon after, Jojo falls into slumber. The vampire watches him. He is so vulnerable like this - he could do whatever he wants with him. But he doesn't take this opportunity. There's so much more he wants to do with this fool still. He learned some patience - or maybe it's just curiosity to see where this strange relationship will lead. He has no need to rush anything. He has all the time of the world.

17 */*/*

"It was pleasure doing business with you, sir," the estate agent shakes his hand, and then leaves him alone in the house. His new home. _Their_ new home.

It is a modest house - certainly nothing like the old Joestar manor was - but it still took pretty much all his savings left. He was never good with money - he just never had to deal with it, never had to think twice if he had enough. Frankly, he is lost when it's about finances. He hopes that the investments Speedwagon assured him are good choices will indeed prove to be that. He is lucky that his friend offered him help, as otherwise he might be in trouble soon. All these travels, the rooms rented at inns, all the expenses, all the times he didn't notice that he was overcharged took a toll on his wallet.

He is fortunate that his friend can help him. Speedwagon, although only a few years his senior, has so much more experience and common sense than him. Jonathan wouldn't mind finding a job, but who would hire him? _English nobleman with vast experience in fighting supernatural beings looking for a living._

He chuckles. Money is a serious matter, but he just can't make himself concerned about it right now.

Things are turning out so well with Dio. Better than he ever dared to dream for. The blond agreed to work together with him, to set up a living without harming people, a modest, quiet life. Jojo's head is not so much in the clouds to forget; he needs to keep an eye on the vampire as he will try to sneak out from keeping his word, but he doesn't mind that. It is pleasant to be in his company, to talk with him, play chess - even though he never manages to beat Dio. And _other_ things they started to do recently are pleasurable as well.

Jonathan is well aware that such a relationship is frowned upon between two men, by society and by the church, but truth to be told, he doesn't care. Their history is too complex to be judged by an outsider. Starting from that fateful day they met in their childhood, all the evil Dio committed but Jojo has forgiven, the danger the vampire means to the world with his inhuman powers and dark will, and the way they both know that Jojo can still stop him create such a chaotic story. How could anyone, who's not living in it as Jojo does, judge if this new aspect of their relationship should be accepted or banned.

Least of Jojo's concern is whether having sex with Dio is right or wrong. No, this is not something he ever thought of doing before, but he also never thought his father would die from a knife Dio meant for him, that their home would burn down to ashes, that Dio would turn into a vampire leaving nobody but Jojo to defeat him, then travel to America with his still living head, that they would fight a strong, ancient creature together, and then buy a home just outside of New York.

People could find any part of their recent life or their history sinful. Jojo only knows and cares that being close to Dio feels good and feels right. Somehow that is enough.

He thinks this is love. Wanting to be with someone despite how anyone else would tell him he's out of his mind. Maybe it is fate. Probably both.

He whistles a merry, if off tune melody to himself as he goes to check Dio's room. The estate guy probably had stranger requests from customers than having a windowless room in the cellar comfortably furnished, as he didn't bat an eye. Jojo makes a mental note that he'll need to make sure that the maid won't go in to clean, as when Dio sleeps during the daytime, he doesn't look alive at all.

Despite the lack of any natural light, the room looks welcoming enough. A comfortable bed, table with chair, cabinets. He hopes Dio will like it.

His own bedroom is furnished similarly, although the bed here is a four poster, and wide enough to be comfortable even if two grown up men are sleeping in it. Jonathan blushes just slightly, even though there is no one around to catch him thinking dirty thoughts.

The other rooms are rather empty still. Jojo chosen the one with the largest window as his office, with a desk, chair, few books. He also has a massive chest in the corner. It has a strong lock, but that won't be enough to keep the contents secure.

Jojo sighs. He has a secret he must keep from Dio.

There is one single item he wants to place in the trunk. He needs to protect it with a Hamon barrier too, as he has no doubt that Dio has expert lock picking skills, and he has first-hand experience on his strong drive to search through Jonathan's belongings.

He takes out the stone mask from his pack. He took a risk with keeping one of it intact after the pillar-man's defeat, and he can't be even sure if he'll ever have any use from it. It's a small wonder that Dio didn't find out. Jojo is a bad liar, but the vampire had no reason to doubt him.

Keeping this last mask was mostly a whim. He wants to research it, make it unfold its secrets. He gained some understanding of its creator, so maybe he will be able to decipher more on how it works - and if its effect can be turned back.

Was there, is there any other creature like that pillar-man? If yes, are they lying dormant somewhere? Could the mask be any use in a possible fight against such creatures? What exactly the mask does to the brain, to turn a human into something Dio has become? How someone - _Dio -_ could keep his mind and free will after using the mask, and how the zombies he created with his blood became his servants?

He probably won't be able to find the answers for all these questions, he knows. If he wants to be really honest with himself, they are only secondary reasons why he is locking away this ancient thing that should rather be destroyed.

He wants to find a way to _cure_ Dio, to make him human again. He has no idea if that is possible, but if there is any chance for it, he must take it. Dio has become his responsibility. He wants to protect the world from him - but he also wants Dio to be protected.

It is not impossible that other people can be capable of defeating Dio. Only Speedwagon knows he is still alive, but the vampire isn't good and doubtfully willing to keep a low profile. The pillar-man knew about Hamon, he spoke about a tribe. Jojo suspects the Ripple was used to fight such creatures in the past too. He will do his best to keep Dio's _condition_ in secret, but he might not be able to do it for forever. Dio is immortal, forever young and powerful, while Jonathan will age and lose his strength. He needs to prepare for everything well in advance.

He sits down on his chair with a sigh, fiddling with the mask. He hopes as hell he's not fooling himself. In the last letter Speedwagon sent to him, he was telling him he lost his mind. He wasn't even too roundabout with it, didn't use his normal politeness. He wrote that Dio must be only fooling him, that he is using his good heart and trust in people to manipulate him, just as he always has been doing. It is hard to argue with him when Jojo's only reasoning against that are his emotions. That he _feels_ this is the right thing to do, and that this is what their fates needs them to do. Giving a chance to finally understand each other and become friends.

He of course didn't tell Speedwagon that they have become more than friends. How could he explain how right it feels to have Dio lying next to him in bed? He can't tell him that the vampire's skin is always so pale and cold, but it gets a bit warmer under his caress, as if Jojo's love could turn him back to human, at least a little bit. He could never say how he doesn't think it can be a sin to kiss someone he deeply cares for, that he is the happiest when that cool, wicked mouth kisses him back. He can't describe the pleasure those clever fingers cause when they slide down his body, touching him in a way nobody else did before.

No, he only wrote to Speedwagon how no one should be beyond redemption in his opinion. That Dio is an intelligent man, even if he is cruel, and that he understands that if he falls back to his evil ways, Jonathan will stop him. He tried to reassure his friend that he is making sure the vampire doesn't kill anyone - that he doesn't _need_ much blood if he is not injured.

He couldn't bring himself to confess to Speedwagon that he plays a very dangerous game, allowing Dio to sink his fingers into his neck, to get the life-force he needs from Jojo only. They have only done it three times so far, but all occasions were painful and risky. On the first try he had to throw Dio off from him by force when he didn't appear to be stopping in time. Still, he mostly is keeping up his side of the bargain and that is enough for now.

This new house is a compromise. It's on the outskirts of the city - not at the countryside where Jojo originally wanted to move to, but still hopefully at enough distance from the dark and crowded districts of New York, which the Joestar considers a too tempting hunting ground for Dio.

He stands up and locks the stone mask away finally, creating a very similar Hamon barrier around it like the one he used to keep Dio's head locked with. He can't remind himself enough times of what Dio is, because it's too easy to roll with the illusion of him just being another young man. A man who he has painful history with, but still has deep feelings for. His lover.

He turns the term around in his mind. He would have never thought he is going to have a lover. Especially a male lover. He always assumed he was going to get married to a nice and pretty girl - to Erina, if he wants to be honest - and they are going to live a quiet, peaceful life at the English countryside. Maybe he would have renovated the old manor. They would have kept dogs and horses. Raised children together. Get old together, seeing their sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters grow up and live a similar life, filled with simple joys.

Well, that went up in smoke as soon as Dio arrived in his life, he just didn't know about it at the time.

He feels a pang of nostalgia, which is rather ironic, considering he has never lived that imaginary life. Fate had different plans for him.

He doesn't mind being with Dio. In fact, it feels more right than anything else he did before. While he believes life with Erina would have been happy, easy and problem-free, and he _knows_ life with the other man will be nothing like that, that is all right. Maybe because Dio needs him more than Erina ever did. Jojo is not so selfish to withhold love and caring just because it is going to hurt.

He knows he can never get his guard down around Dio, that in all his life he will be watching him to make sure he doesn't commit something irreparable again. But he thinks he will also be able to find happiness in this life too. Their strong connection ensures that simply being in his company can fill Jojo with joy.

He walks around in the house, feeling satisfied with his purchase, even if there are many things to do here still. It will be great to spend his nights in a comfortable bed again. Lately he woke too often woke with a crick in his neck, after falling asleep on the narrow, lumpy mattress the inn had, especially as Dio started to occupy half of the space. Even though the vampire has his own room, Jonathan hopes he will continue to spend some time in his too.

He chuckles to himself. His mind seems to get back again and again to picturing Dio in his bed. A naked, content Dio. He _is_ a sinner, but damn it, this sin feels too good.

Dusk is falling outside. The carriage will pick up Dio soon in New York, to bring him here. Feeling like a child awaiting birthday presents, Jojo clasps his hand together excitedly. He can't help it - he looks forward to their new life together in their new home.

 **FIN - for now**

 _Thank you for reading! I plan to write a Part 2 to this story, but it will take me a while._


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